This is not to condone torture, which is still prohibited by the Torture Convention and federal criminal law. John Yoo condoneconventioncriminal Change image and share on social
It has never demonstrated any desire to provide humane treatment to captured Americans. If anything, the murders of Nicholas Berg and Daniel Pearl declare al Qaeda's intentions to kill even innocent civilian prisoners. John Yoo americanbergcapture share on social
Once the attacks occur, as we learned on Sept. 11, it is too late. It makes little sense to deprive ourselves of an important, and legal, means to detect and prevent terrorist attacks while we are still in the middle of a fight to the death with al Qaeda. John Yoo attackdeathdeprive share on social
Human-rights advocates, for example, claim that the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners is of a piece with President Bush's 2002 decision to deny al Qaeda and Taliban fighters the legal status of prisoners of war under the Geneva Conventions. John Yoo advocatebushclaim share on social
President Bush and his commanders announced early in the conflict that the Conventions applied. John Yoo announceapplybush Change image and share on social
American soldiers had to guard prisoners on the inside while receiving mortar and weapons fire from the outside. Guantanamo is distant from any battlefield, making it far more secure. John Yoo americanbattlefielddistant Change image and share on social
The Justices are currently considering a case, argued last month, which seeks to extend the writ of habeas corpus to al Qaeda and Taliban detainees at Guantanamo. John Yoo arguecasecorpus Change image and share on social
A decision by the Supreme Court to subject Guantanamo to judicial review would eliminate these advantages. John Yoo advantagecourtdecision Change image and share on social
Congress's definition of torture in those laws - the infliction of severe mental or physical pain - leaves room for interrogation methods that go beyond polite conversation. John Yoo congressconversationdefinition Change image and share on social
That is because the conflict with al Qaeda is not governed by the Geneva Conventions, which applies only to international conflicts between states that have signed them. John Yoo applyconflictconvention Change image and share on social
