Dirty, Little Secrets on Torture Revealed.

April 23, 2009.

Dear fellow Americans,

Just as the volume of calls for investigations into the U.S. torture program reached deafening levels this week, another classified report came out Tuesday that revealed new details about the military's role in torturing detainees.

This latest report by the Senate Armed Services Committee exposes the "few bad apples" argument as a complete farce.¹ While the Bush Administration was publically saying the horrors of Abu Ghraib were just aberrations, this report clearly shows that in fact, torture was sanctioned and even encouraged in military detention centers.

Thanks to your countless actions over the past few weeks, the momentum for investigations is snowballing. Last Friday President Obama said this was a time for "reflection, not retribution"; less than a week later, national newspapers are reporting the President is now open to an investigation.²

But what kind of investigation? There's a growing risk that we may get an investigation that lacks independence, legal authority, and the adequate funding necessary to tell the full truth about the illegal, U.S. torture program.

What we need is a non-partisan independent commission, free from political influences, that has subpoena power and enough money to track down every lead.³

Tell President Obama and Congress that any investigation must be independent, backed by the full force of law, and have enough funding to uncover the full truth behind the U.S. torture program.

Even with the release of this classified report, we still only know a portion of the truth. And it's only by exposing the full truth of what was done in our names, that we can once and for all move forward and restore our nation's credibility. Let's make sure whatever investigation moves forward, it's backed by the authority and support it needs to be effective.

Please send your letter now to President Obama and Congress urging for an independent investigation backed by the full force of law and adequate funding.

In just one week, we've gone from seeing an investigation as a long shot, to talking about what kind of investigation we need. Your actions, phone calls, and visits before Congress are making an impact. We're getting closer to seeing our government actually do the right thing.

Thanks for standing with us.

Njambi Good

Director, Counter Terror with Justice Campaign

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

CCR's Campaign Calls for Accountability and Criminal Prosecutions of the Bush Administration.

March 4, 2009.

Dear CCR Supporters,

We are excited to announce the launch of the Center for Constitutional Rights' (CCR) new online campaign calling for accountability and criminal prosecutions of those Bush administration officials responsible for torture and war crimes.

From George W. Bush himself to Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, as well as other top-ranking former administration officials, those who ordered and planned torture and war crimes must be held accountable. Take a few moments to sign an online petition calling for just that.

The campaign also calls upon Senator Patrick Leahy, who will hold a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 4, 2009 to discuss a "truth commission" that would investigate the crimes of the Bush administration and support prosecutions for those government officials who violated the law. Sign a letter to Sen. Leahy and the Judiciary Committee calling for them to support prosecutions and to oppose any immunity for these architects of torture programs.

This campaign is part of CCR's broader 100 Days campaign, that calls for immediate action by President Obama and the new administration to end the abuses of prior administrations and restore the Constitution.

A full investigation and consequent prosecutions are necessary to put an end once and for all to dangerous and illegal actions by the government - and for those wronged to see justice served. Join us and make your voice heard in saying that achieving justice and accountability must begin within the first 100 Days of the new administration.

Sincerely,
Vincent Warren
Executive Director
Center for Constitutional Rights

LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!

Thanks for all you do!
Live your values. Love your country.
And, remember: TOGETHER, We can make a DIFFERENCE!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.