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We live in an era where the United States government has to make promises that it won't torture or kill extradited persons. Let that sink in.
by shill 13y ago
We live in an era where the United States government has to make promises that it won't torture or kill extradited persons.
Let that sink in.
- toomuchtodo 13y agoAlso, solitary and waterboarding aren't considered torture. By the US government.
- aqme28 13y agoThey used to be though. Japanese soldiers were actually hanged for waterboarding Americans in WWII (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/29/politics/main3554687.shtml http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/29/politics/main35546...).
- anologwintermut 13y agoWe may live in an era where people suspect the US will do that, but they've always had to say they won't. Most of Western Europe will not extradite people who face the death penalty (and I assume torture) and in those situations, the US has always given assurances that they will not seek the death penalty.
- pc86 13y agoBut those assurances are not binding unless it's state -> us government -> foreign entity.[0] [0] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition_law_in_the_United_States#Extradition_to_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition_law_in_the_United_S...
- vinceguidry 13y agoBinding or not, the US would be in a very bad spot diplomatically if they were to break their word on such a promise.
- cupOfJoe 13y agoI don't think the US cares if they're in a 'bad spot diplomatically'... kind of like when the president says some stuff and does the complete opposite... no shame, who cares
- jordonwii 13y agoMaybe not binding strictly speaking, but we have to keep our word here if we ever expect to be able to get an individual in similar circumstances to be extradited to the US in the future, no?
- anologwintermut 13y agoSince it is the federal government prosecuting Snowden, those statements might be legally binding. Certainly the federalism argument doesn't make the assertions non-binding since it's not a state government.
- joering2 13y agoI may be overreacting here, but if Holder is saying "we won't torture", is this some sort of self-incriminating statement?? Unless in a week or so some whistleblower that is moping blood from underground CIA interrogation rooms speaks up, my thought is that US does not torture, period. Why would you then have a US Government, DOJ and Attorney General himself to come up and reassure about this?