2006/07/15

US Generals and Admirals Against Torture !

More evidence that our Generals, Admirals, and Colonels, as I have found from personal experience, deserve this nation's admiration and respect, though they only seem to be free to express their honest opinion after retirement: General Joseph Hoar, USMC (Ret.), see photo, Lieutenant General Robert G. Gard, Jr., USA (Ret.), Vice Admiral Lee F. Gunn, USN (Ret.), Lieutenant General Claudia J. Kennedy, USA (Ret.), Vice Admiral Al Konetzni, USN (Ret.), Lieutenant General Charles Otstott, USA (Ret.), Major General John Batiste, USA (Ret.), Major General John L. Fugh, USA (Ret.), Rear Admiral Donald J. Guter, USN (Ret.), Major General Fred E. Haynes, USMC (Ret.), Rear Admiral John D. Hutson, USN (Ret.), Major General Melvyn Montano, ANG (Ret.), Brigadier General David M. Brahms, USMC (Ret.), Brigadier General James Cullen, USA (Ret.), Brigadier General Evelyn P. Foote, USA, (Ret.), Brigadier General David R. Irvine, USA (Ret.), Brigadier General Murray G. Sagsveen, USA (Ret.), Brigadier General Stephen n. Xenakis, USA (Ret.), Colonel Lawrence B. Wilkerson, USA (Ret.), Ambassador - Former Vietnam POW Douglas "Pete" Peterson, USAF (Ret.) have sent the following letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee concerning the nomination of William J. Haynes to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourht Circuit:

"We send this letter reluctantly, and after much reflection; none of us has publicly expressed concern over any other nominee to the federal bench.

What compels us to take this unusual step is our profound concern about the role Mr. Haynes played in establishing -over the objections of uniformed military lawyers - detention and interrogation policies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanemo which led not only to the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody but to a dangerous abrogation of the military's long-standing commitment to the rule of law."

Please read the full letter, which explored Mr. Haynes' recommendations to permit the use of attack dogs, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees, forced nudity, etc.
Please read the full letter by clicking on this link!