Legal Commentary

Obama Administration Using Coerced Confessions In Military Commission Cases

By Big Tent Democrat

As someone who has spoken out in favor of the stated goals of the Obama Administration in 2009 with regard to the handling of accused enemy combatants and indefinite detention, I am very dismayed by what we are discovering about the Obama Administration's handling of these matters. Glenn Greenwald writes:

Military commissions were one of those Bush/Cheney policies which provoked virtually universal outrage among progressives and Democrats back in the day when executive power abuses and rule of law transgressions were a concern. The Obama administration's claim that the commissions are now improved to the point that they provide a forum of real justice is being put to the test -- and blatantly failing [. . .] The commission has already ruled that confessions made by Khadr which were clearly obtained through coercion, abuse and torture will be admitted as evidence against him.

This is outrageous and, in my view, a violation of the Laws of War and the Geneva Conventions. When I have a bit more time, I will write on this point at length. For now, I just want to register my disgust about this.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on August 11, 2010 (boomark / email).