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usc

politics

'Waterboarding Memo' Author Speaks to College Republicans

Joshua Sharp

Posted: Apr 26th 2009 12:36AM

Filed under: Politics, Small Campus, Big Story, USC

Joshua Sharp is now a contributor for The Cram, a student news arm of the newly launched PoliticsDaily.com. To follow his future work, click here.

Former Bush Administration official John Yoo, author of several Justice Department memos determining waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" to be legal, addressed the California College Republicans as the keynote speaker at their statewide convention in San Francisco this weekend.

Author's note: In addition to political commentary, I'm a member of the USC College Republicans. Views posted here are my own.

Two dozen protesters gathered outside the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf hotel where the convention was being held, holding signs calling Yoo a war criminal as they chanted, "Jail John Yoo!"

Yoo was actually remarkably soft-spoken compared to the protesters outside. He described his background and his support of key Bush Administration policies, saying, "Sometimes in war, you have to take pre-emptive action to stop someone from trying to harm our country." He pointed out that al-Qaeda had deliberately targeted civilians on Sept. 11, not combatants or military troops.

Putting perspective on enhanced interrogation techniques, Yoo said the United States interrogates detainees "not because we're trying to get a confession [for use in the courts], we're trying to get information to prevent the next attack."

Yoo closed with a question: "Were those policies successful?" It's been almost eight years since 9/11, he said, and our nation has not seen another domestic terrorist attack "because of the Bush Administration's counterterrorism policies."

Yoo also encouraged young conservatives to "have the courage of your convictions" and engage in free speech and open debate with "the people who would shout you down."

Earlier in the day, hundreds of College Republicans took to the streets of San Francisco for an anti-bailout "Tea Party" protest, holding signs with slogans like, "You keep your Hope, I'll keep my Change."

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Linda

12:00PM 12:00PM May 4th 2009

Unfortunately, for a lot of people they don't really care that torture doesn't work. It's not about it "working". It's about crime and punishment and revenge. And the crime was so heinous (crime = 9/11) that it should be punishable without having to proving guilt first. And when you point out that innocent people have been tortured and died while in US custody, such as Dilawar, the innocent cab driver from Afganistan who was tortured to death by the US, then right wingers point out that Afganistan deaths are not important, especially when compared with the deaths of Americans. We have very odd values in this country, this country who claims moral superiority over those in other countries. Torture doesn't work, it is morally wrong, and I think people who can justify it's use under any circumstances, should search their souls for what evil lurks there to make them think this is alright. Ever.

Rating : 3 stars Reply to this commentReport!

Ronsonit

9:30PM 9:30PM Apr 28th 2009

He's right, his type of attack hasn't taken place since 9/11. What a dumbass, it never took place before 9/11 either. The Lesson was learned, the next attack will be much different. All Bush did was raise the bar and force Terrorits to become more creative. Ask yourself, if I were a Terrorist... where and how would I attack America. Your answer will be the same as theirs. Peace, Y'all

Rating : 2.5 stars Reply to this commentReport!

mahalapril

4:16PM 4:16PM Apr 29th 2009

Ronsonit- You might not have to wait too long. Obama ia dismantling Bush safeguards and we can have the same attack as 9/11 very early.We already have too many islamic terrorists sleepers in the US and once Obama completely dismantles the safeguards of Bush then the suspected islamic terrorists will not be under surveillance anymore by wiretapping and close intelligence. We will lose them but we can find them again after another thousands of innocent American civilians are massacred. Is that what you want.? Hopefully you will be the first one to die.

Rating : 2 stars Reply to this commentReport!

TRogers

3:10AM 3:10AM May 1st 2009

Typical Republican Bushie fool who doesn't have the guts to do a town hall like Obama does. He'll only address a handpicked crowd of stooges. No wonder there are more people who beleive in UFO's than admit they're Republicans!

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August

11:09AM 11:09AM May 1st 2009

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dearpru

11:35AM 11:35AM May 1st 2009

This guy should be water-boarded, slammed into plywood walls, sleep-deprived and everything else he thought was so groovy when he was being paid a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year by the American taxpayers to keep us safe. He only made us more vulnerable.

Rating : 2.5 stars Reply to this commentReport!

clrush69

11:55AM 11:55AM May 1st 2009

I guess hardline repubs will never understand or tout "leading by example". Nor "diplomacy". It's telling how the Right supports torture and warcrimes and innocents getting killed, then tries to bring religion into every discourse. No wonder they may never see power again; that and their obstructionism.

Rating : 2.5 stars Reply to this commentReport!

gbreeza

1:11PM 1:11PM May 1st 2009

I think its funny that most of you people are making comments on Bush going into Iraq as fighting terrorism when there was no threat of al queda in Iraq because Sadam would have attacked them as they are of different islamic causes. But alot of u r hear saying Bush protected America by going to war with Iraq and initiating torture there when that is what led to the current Iraqi al queda movement. However in terms of the Afghanastan conflict I feel that he made some good points and some of you did as well.

Rating : 2 stars Reply to this commentReport!

George Williams

2:57PM 2:57PM May 1st 2009

I especially love that the neocon retards here who advocate war among many other things rarely ever serve in our nation's military, or if they do it's in the role of an officer who never see's any real fighting, lol. It must be easy advocating going off to war, when mainly minorities or the poor die. Oh and before you rednecks start, nope not a liberal, am conservative, NOT neocon, and am libertarian, Ron Paul all the way. Oh and before you say wah unpatriotic, I did my 4 and plan to serve the nation again when I finish college which of you armchair critics can say the same?

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Thomas J Gassett

4:09PM 4:09PM May 1st 2009

The sort of waterboarding that got a Jap General executed is very different from the sort of waterboarding we did on three terrorist, and oh yeah ... our own troops. The Jap General used salt water, and we used fresh. This might not seem like much of a difference to the vast unwashed (Bo supporters) but to someone with two undamaged brain cells it means everything. When you use fresh water there is no damage done. When you use salt water you are poisioning the indivdual. WE used waterboarding to save lives, and that what happened. The Jap General used waterboarding to kill. Last. What we did is not torture, no mater how many times the vast unwashed chant that it is.

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Thomas J Gassett

4:13PM 4:13PM May 1st 2009

It is incorrect to assume that Bush policies are the reason that twelve more radical Islamic Saudis, (or the like), haven't again taken box cutters on airplanes and used them in any form of terrorism.
>>>

So says a limp Lefty sheep.
According to the head of the CIA, a Clinton appointy, these techniques SAVED AMERICAN LIVES.
Now, back to the mindless left and their hate america screed.

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Thomas J Gassett

4:21PM 4:21PM May 1st 2009

Hows that republican comeback going, not so well huh!. >>>

The Magic Negro is the republican comeback. When the great unwashed finally see what this socialist pig is doing republicans will be all the way back.

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Thomas J Gassett

4:20PM 4:20PM May 1st 2009

As a lawyer he should have given a legal opinion. It seems that he gave a political opinion instead. I bet the Japanese we tried after WWII for waterboarding wish he had been their legal expert>>>

Mikey Moore is right: "Americans are the stupidest people on the planet."

The Jap General used saltwater to poision, while we used fresh water that did no damage.
Only the very stupid or the very indoctrinated can't see the difference. You can bet these losers would see it if BO did the waterboarding. This is about the lunatic hatred for Bush by the lunatics on the Left, not about torture. These liberal traitors hurt our standing in the world for political gain not moral conviction ... lest we forget.

Rating : 2 stars Reply to this commentReport!

mahalapril

4:59PM 4:59PM May 1st 2009

GBREEZA- After all this time there are still so many ignorant Americans mostly the younger generations.The Iraq war was never about 9/11.There was a poll among democrats right after election voting and many of them don't even know who Nancy Pelosi is. They also did not know who controlled congress from 2006 to 2008. They also did a poll among republicans voters and there was a big difference with republicans much more knowledgeable about our gov't. I think this is the reason Obama was elected because of stupid Americans with the help of the liberal-biased media. Saddam started the Iraq war by refusing search of WMDs in Iraq. The Iraq war,the Afganistan war,9/11, Bush,Gitmo,Abu-Graib and waterboarding did not exist a thousand years ago when the islamic fanatics began recruiting islamic extremists that have since been slaughtering and beheading infidels for a thousand years.If you want to blame recruiters maybe the Christian crusaders were responsible for RECRUITING increasing islamic fanatic terrorists but never Bush,not the Iraq war ,not because of lack of negotiations. Do you people even remember the 1978 storming of the US embassy in Iran and holding a hundred Americans inside hostage for 444 days. Carter did everything diplomatically in his power but terrorists only respect power and strenght.Now the stupid Obama wants to talk to North Korea and Iran and fall once again into the stalling tactics of these terrorist which is getting CLOSER AND CLOSER EVERYDAY TO ACQUIRING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

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Gregory Dittmer

10:08PM 10:08PM May 1st 2009

mahalapril

4:59PM 4:59PM May 1st 2009

GBREEZA- After all this time there are still so many ignorant Americans mostly the younger generations..... I think this is the reason Obama was elected because of stupid Americans with the help of the liberal-biased media.

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You are really something... time after time you accuse ANYONE not holding your views of being "ignorant" and "stupid," yet time after time it turns out to be YOU that is ignorant and spouting endless misinformation and half truths!

*****"Saddam started the Iraq war by refusing search of WMDs in Iraq."*****

WRONG! Saddam Hussein did NOT start the war and he WAS cooperating with the International inspectors. While Saddam was dragging his heals and reluctant to have foreign inspectors in Iraq, he did let them in to do their jobs. The International inspectors had requested more time to complete the process but Bush43 wanted to invade rather than wait to be proven wrong. The International inspectors had to be told by Bush43 to quit doing their job and leave the country because he was going to start an invasion.
*******************

*****"If you want to blame recruiters maybe the Christian crusaders were responsible for RECRUITING increasing islamic fanatic terrorists but never Bush,not the Iraq war ,not because of lack of negotiations."*****

At least on THIS issue, you are partially correct. The war between so-called "Christians" and Muslims began some 1,000 years ago and continued for 200 years. Exactly who did what and when may never be fully understood, but it was the Muslims that were attacked by foreign forces trying to regain control of Jerusalem from the Muslims. That may have been the very beginning of Muslim hatred for Catholics, but Bush43 is responsible for stirring up yet MORE trouble by his policies.

The invasion of Iraq was absolutely NOT needed for ANY purpose except Bush43's desire to overthrow Saddam Hussein! Every bit of "information" about WMDs was hand picked and ANY information that was contrary to Bush43 claims was hidden. Despite the fact the International inspectors were doing their job to find out IF WMDs actually existed, Bush43 was intent on invading and capturing Saddam for trying to kill his daddy and to regain a U.S. foothold in the region.
**********************

*****"Do you people even remember the 1978 storming of the US embassy in Iran and holding a hundred Americans inside hostage for 444 days."*****

Once again you have your "facts" a bit mixed up.

The takeover of the U.S. embassy by students revolting against American intrusion into their lives was not in 1978. The takeover occurred on November 4, 1979! Furthermore, there were just 52 American hostages, NOT "a hundred" as you contend.
******************

*****"Carter did everything diplomatically in his power but terrorists only respect power and strenght."*****

The release of the hostages had nothing to do with "power and strength." It was the diplomacy of Carter and the signing of the Algiers Accords on January 19, 1981 that secured their release. Ronald Reagan had absolutely nothing to do with their release. The Algiers Accords had been negotiated and signed BEFORE Reagan was actually in office.
*******************

*****"Now the stupid Obama wants to talk to North Korea and Iran and fall once again into the stalling tactics of these terrorist which is getting CLOSER AND CLOSER EVERYDAY TO ACQUIRING NUCLEAR WEAPONS."*****

Diplomacy worked in Iran and it worked with North Korea before, so there is no reason to think it will fail now.

Before you continue calling people "stupid" you should learn how to spell and learn sentence syntax and punctuation... and ABOVE all else, get your "facts" straight!

Rating : 3 stars Report!

george

11:10PM 11:10PM May 3rd 2009

A funny thing I was musing over, terrorist suspects we apprehend and put into custody without benefit of habeus corpus, no due process etc etc, we say they're terrorists without trial, totally undermining most written laws, by virtue of a loophole that they aren't uniformed combatants, i.e. no Geneva conventions I.D. card. This loophole towards this, not too unlike the way Corporations are able to hold land and property in the past through court proceedings can be looked past, but a question for you neocons, Aren't we the country causing more damage than preventing? I know that that some of the individuals captured are most definitely guilty, but what about the innocent ones? Won't torture make them more likely to siding with our enemies due to their mistreatment? Enemy of my Enemy etc etc.. And a secondary question , if you post that these people are all guilty, why not just do the same with our jails, allow for no legal defense, just flood the floors and run a live wire through, I mean if someone says oh they look guilty or they're guilty we just know it, why bother having any legal rights for them? murder them all, the constitution is just a piece of paper after all isn't it?
Oh also, try this next time you're summoned to jury duty, tell the judge well I think if the defendant is brown or looks guilty, then they are most definitely guilty. Then let's see if you make it onto the jury. lol

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