No, no, no. The three foundational principles of a democracy have to be (1) the rule of law; (2) the dignity of the human -- everyone is worthy of dignity; (3) innocent until proven guilty.

Not one person, not one, has been brought to a fair trial. Therefore they were innocent when they were tortured. They were tortured on the say so of the people who tortured them.

The United States has signed -- Ronald Reagan signed -- an International Treaty against Torture. It violated that treaty (as far as I can tell). This makes it a nation whose promises and signed oaths and legislative laws mean nothing.

Do these things mean nothing to you? If they mean nothing to you, then it means that the government of the United States is allowed to do what it wishes with its own citizens, who have no recourse in a lawless state (this is before we even get into illegal wiretapping. That is what it means.

yours,

Peter T.