Yellow Dog

As Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid points out,

"Our great Nation was founded on the idea of human rights.... Because of our unshakable belief in human rights, we became a ray of light, a beacon for people in other parts of the world. America has been that beacon because we are a nation governed by laws, not by men.

We are a nation where no one, not even the President of the United States,is above the law. We are a nation where our military is bound by the uniform Code of Military Justice and the laws of war. And we are a nation that even at war stands for and upholds the rule of law.

There is no question gathering intelligence from suspects in our war on terror is critical to protecting this great Nation. No one in this Chamber would argue otherwise. These are very bad people with whom we are dealing. But when interrogation turns to torture, it puts our own soldiers at risk. It undermines the very freedoms Americans are fighting to protect.

We are a nation at war--a war in Iraq and a war against terrorism -- but this war does not give our civilian leaders the authority to cast aside the laws of armed conflict, nor does it allow our Commander in Chief to decide which laws apply and which laws do not apply.  To do so puts, I repeat, our own soldiers and our Nation at risk.  But that is what has occurred under the direction and coordination of the man seeking to be Attorney General of the United States, Alberto Gonzales, a man I personally like, but whose judgment on these very serious matters was flawed and is flawed."

Giving the top legal post to a man who was the main architect in finding legal loopholes that led to Abu Ghraib abuses sends a terrible message to the rest of the world--that the US (Republicans) condone torture and the abuse of human rights. Thankfully, 36 Democrats took the high road and voted against torture. I have never been so proud to be a yellow dog.

The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial: The Senate and Mr. Gonzales