If you folks weren't so anxious to witness a hanging (Bush, Rumsfield, Ashcroft)you would not have to spend so much time gnashing your teeth and pulling your hair out over something like this subject.

IF you watched the testimony AG Ashcroft presented to the Senate committee, you are aware that Ashcroft made it quite clear that the president HAS NOT approved of using torture to gather information from the suspected terrorists.

What you are getting so exercised about is typical lawyer stuff. Lawyers are paid to write briefs and that's what's involved here. A subject is examined by lawyers and the brief points out the "can do's and can't do's." Since no one, other than federal officials, have seen them, I really don't know how anyone can comment on them. Even the Washington Post!

As to countries possibly subjecting captured U. S. personnel to physical torture if our guys are not "good" guys, that may be true. However, we are not fighting a war against a "country." It is a war against terrorists with no central government. What would happen to our troops if captured by the terrorists was made pretty clear when the young man from Pennsylvania had his head severed from his body a few weeks ago. Who's going to clamp down on the terrorists and force them to adhere to International law? Well, who?

DougR