[LESS INFO] 212 VIEWS | ADDED 21:20:27 11/26/10
Members of, "Stop Torture at the Top," met with Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar on November 24. The meeting had been requested about a year ago and it was preceded by a meeting with her staff the week before.
This group, an amalgamation of many Twin Cities peace groups, delivered a plea for the senator as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, intervene with the Dept of Justice to pursue and prosecute the ; crimes of torture committed by senior government officials including George W. Bush. Bush, currently on a book tour, has stated publiclly that he authorized torture, specifically waterboarding. The group cited issues of international law, the fact that torture is a crime that transcends national borders and that prosecution for torture may be initiated by any prosecutor in any country. There is also the documented fact that torture trickles down, those trained in torture transfer that skill to other jobs. It takes many years to remove the effect of torture practice as has been demonstrated in several Latin America countries. The price of US refusal to prosecute the war crime of torture is a serious loss national prestige and the moral high ground. It is also an excuse for increased terrorist activity. Senator Klobuchar declined to make any major commitment to act; she did promise to consider sending a written question to the Attorney General after the next review meeting by the Judiciary Committee. She did not want to spend any of her limited direct time with this issue.
