Jimmy Carter exposes Bush for sanctioning torture

October 10, 2007

Washington, DC - Jimmy Carter said the United States engages in torture that breaches international law and that President Bush creates his own definition of human rights.

Jimmy Carter said the United States engages in torture that breaches international law and said President Bush creates his own definition of human rights.

"I don't think it, I know it," the former President told CNN's Wolf Blitzer when asked if he believes the United States commits torture.

"Our country for the first time in my lifetime has abandoned the basic principle of human rights," Carter continued. "We've said that the Geneva Convention does not apply to those people in Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo, and we've said we can torture prisoners, and deprive them of an accusation of a crime to which they are accused."

"But you can make your own definition of human rights and say we don't violate them, and you can make your own definition of torture and say we don't violate them."

Carter's comments come on the heels of an October 4 article in The New York Times disclosing the existence of secret Justice Department memorandums supporting the use of "harsh interrogation techniques." These include "head-slapping, simulated drowning and frigid temperatures," according to the Times.

The White House last week confirmed the existence of the documents but would not make them public.

Responding to the newspaper report Friday, Bush defended the techniques used, saying, "This government does not torture people."

Asked about Bush's comments, Carter said, "That's not an accurate statement if you use the international norms of torture as has always been honored -- certainly in the last 60 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was promulgated.

Responding to the newspaper report Friday, Bush defended the techniques used, saying, "This government does not torture people."

Cheney

In an interview that aired Wednesday on BBC, Carter ripped Vice President Dick Cheney as "a militant who avoided any service of his own in the military."

Carter went on to say Cheney has been "a disaster for our country. I think he's been overly persuasive on President George Bush."