Bush Respects the Law?

i’ve been watching BBC World News for my evening news lately. It’s a lot easier to stomach than the cable news shows we have here. And tonight I made sure not to miss the news because Matt Frei spoke with Bush. What I want to discuss is found at the end of the transcript, particularly on torture, the how the US follows the law.

(are you done choking?)

Frei: The Senate yesterday passed a bill outlawing water-boarding. You, I believe, have said that you will veto that bill.

Mr Bush: That’s not –

Frei: Does that not send the wrong signal…

Mr Bush: No, look… that’s not the reason I’m vetoing the bill. The reason I’m vetoing the bill – first of all, we have said that whatever we do… will be legal. Secondly, they are imposing a set of standards on our intelligence communities in terms of interrogating prisoners that our people will think will be ineffective. And, you know, to the critics, I ask them this: when we, within the law, interrogate and get information that protects ourselves and possibly others in other nations to prevent attacks, which attack would they have hoped that we wouldn’t have prevented? And so, the United States will act within the law. We’ll make sure professionals have the tools necessary to do their job within the law. Now, I recognise some say that these – terrorists – really aren’t that big a threat to the United States anymore. I fully disagree. And I think the president must give his professionals within the law the necessary tools to protect us. So, we’re not having a debate not only how you interrogate people. We’re having a debate in America on whether or not we ought to be listening’ to terrorists making’ phone calls in the United States. And the answer is darn right we ought to be.

Of course that neglects the cleansing by the FBI “Clean Team” (via), it neglects the studies that have found that coerced information by torture is not valuable. His statement neglects that and the telecoms did not have to break the FISA law to listen in on potential terrorists conversations, but chose to do so anyway.

Frei: Can you honestly say, Mr President, that today America still occupies the moral high ground?

Mr Bush: Absolutely – absolutely. We believe in human rights and human dignity. We believe in the human condition. We believe in freedom. And we’re willing to take the lead. We’re willing to ask nations to do hard things. We’re willing to accept responsibilities. And – yeah, no question in my mind. It’s a nation that’s a force for good. And history will judge – the decisions made during this period of time as necessary decisions. And I [firmly] believe that we are laying the foundation for peace.

Human rights and human dignity –  tell that to the millions of people that cannot afford health insurance. Tell that to the millions of people that go to bed hungry each night. Tell that to the growing number of people that are now living below the poverty level. I dare say these millions of people would disagree.