Gonzales OK Could Be Seen as OK for Torture Rules: "Gonzales' assertion that international treaties do not apply to interrogations carried out by U.S. forces outside U.S. territory is wrong.
The administration's position 'is completely inconsistent with the spirit, the legislative history, and in some respects with the language' of the Convention [Against Torture], said Sofaer, who was the Bush administration's point man when the convention was presented to the Senate for ratification in 1990. In the hearings, Gonzales was also asked whether he agreed with a 2002 memo he commissioned from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel -- where Yoo was a lawyer -- that concluded that all harsh tactics were acceptable up to the point of 'intentionally causing permanent damage to vital organs or permanent emotional trauma.'
Gonzales answered: 'I don't recall today whether or not I was in agreement with all of the analysis, but I don't have a disagreement with the conclusions then reached by the department.'
In his written responses submitted after testifying, Gonzales still could not recall his prior views on the 2002 memo and refused to disclose any documents related to it. "
- posted by geoff @ #