Scott Horton of Antiwar.com interviewed me on Thursday on the latest developments on the torture scandal. As always, Scott’s optimism is downright contagious.
You can click onto the MP3 of the interview here –
We did the interview just before the Padilla jury verdict was announced. I reckon the interview would have been more caustic…
The Christian Science Monitor did a great series of articles last week on the Padilla case, detailing how the feds effectively Zombified Padilla via years of severe abuse. Jane Mayer nailed the story as well in the New Yorker. But most of the media ignored the barbaric means the government used to crush the defendant before the trial.
I will be curious to see the analyses of how the Padilla trial went down, and how much evidence of torture the jurors actually saw.
Jim,
Sorry to be out of touch, but I did hear your interview with Scott Horton. Excellent as always.
Between the facts put out and the good humor, you two always keep me upbeat about the getting out of this mess called empire!
Cheers,
Wes
Seeing Padilla almost stuffed into a canvas bag (as if this thug might spontaneously explode and hurt someone nearby) only symbolically portrayed the height of war profiteering which parallels our decline in being free. One goes up (American Imperialism) the other goes down – respect for the Bill of Rights. Thanks neocons, thanks for keeping us all safe; we know you butchered this youngsters brain for our own good (and for your future overseas profits). A few more Padilla cases and America will finally once again prosper.
…Padilla, whose Political hostility outran his adolescent judgement played right into the Feds hands. Thus he was a perfect candidate to made an example of…and that’s just what that bunch of Nosferatu Chartoff’s fiends did…Live and learn.
The issue was: is the torture neccessary to convict those who hate illegal government conduct. Padilla was seen shackled at both wrist and ankle and with maybe a canvas bag covering his head (because of the danger he magically possessed).
The shrub (a known blowback genius) copied typical law enforcement practices. Find a young and naive hoodlum (get him to run his mouth); encourage him to commit a crime and then put him on death row.
This is a common practice today. Illinois had maybe 150 of these types on death row – former Governor Ryan had to commute their sentences and help create a committee to review the practice. It also led, as most know, to a temporary ban on executions (typical government counterproductivity).
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (former county prosecutor) may have led the way for this practice. I can only imagine his involvement in illegal eavsdropping by Chicago police on any Chicagoan of interest for any reason, criminal or not (not quite comparable to NSA cell phone intercepts.) Chicago has spent millions to combat Terror – and it must be working because Chicago has never experienced a Terrorist attack. Today most police departments are well connected by the internet. Chicago police, with it’s greater financial resources, has a capability proportional to the NSA to spy on citizens. (Speculating) This illegal spying has led to an increase in crackdown on illegal drug traffiking (and police executions of police enemies on the street.)
Because this practice is known to the public and has been made acceptable to the public (at any government level) police, CIA or FBI can defame any American citizen and make them a known suspect regardless of culpability (Operation Mockingbird).
If any person even contemplates an act of Terror it could get them stuffed into a canvas bag just like it did with Padilla. Government passes a law that increases crime (Prohibition), allowing it to crackdown on both the increase in crime it created and the freedom that allowed these alleged criminals to commit crime, reducing the public’s safety from criminals and government and freedom from government intrusion. Providing for the public’s safety, by government, trumps everything – even the Bill of Rights and safety.
Government causes all the trouble: it meddles in the affairs of other countries, incites foreigners to attack the American public and then passes more laws to prohibit it (as if any terrorist would be law-abiding enough to obey the new law) enabling the government to practically stuff petty thugs into a canvas bag (Padilla style) to impress on the public the level of danger these petty thugs possess. And all that horrifying danger convinces the public to acquiesce in the sacrifice of their freedom needed to combat Terror (blowback). Once upon a time government was a petty servant, now it’s a terrorizing master not required to adhere to any amount of logic or reasoning (in Washington and in Illinois).
Wes – good to hear from you! Thanks for the comment.
I hope things are going well for you in ‘Bama and that the book binding biz is rattlin’ right along.
Tory – good points on Chicago.
There was a report out a couple years back on how the Chicago police had routinely tortured defendants and detainees. It received only the fleetest notice in the media…