DOCSLIB.ORG

The Dismantling of the Rule of Law in the United States

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Dismantling of the Rule of Law in the United States The Dismantling of the Rule of Law in the United States: Systematisation of Executive Impunity, Dispensation from Non-derogable Norms, and Perpetualisation of a Permanent State of Emergency by Ryan Patrick Alford submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LAWS at the University of South Africa Supervisor: Jeremy Sarkin June 2014 Student number: 49958801 I declare that The Dismantling of the Rule of Law in the United States: Systematisation of Executive Impunity, Dispensation from Non-derogable Norms, and Perpetualisation of a Permanent State of Emergency is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ________________________ ___________________ SIGNATURE DATE (Mr) Ryan Patrick Alford 7 June 2014 ABSTRACT Scholars of human rights and constitutional law have described in great detail the abuses perpetrated by the armed forces and secret services of the United States in the context of the ‘war on terror’. There is copious literature explaining why these violations of fundamental human rights are not justifiable, and why they are not consistent with international treaties or that nation’s constitution. This thesis builds upon this research, but strikes out in a new direction. It does so by asking whether these abuses, combined with the changes to the legal order of the United States that made them possible, have produced a qualitative transformation of its constitutional structure. In particular, this thesis tracks the empowering of the executive. Increasingly, whenever it purports to act in the interests of national security, the executive claims the authority to act unilaterally in a manner that overrides even non-derogable rights. These novel constitutional reserve powers, which this thesis demonstrates were derived from President Nixon’s theory of the executive, were used to justify indefinite arbitrary detention, torture, mass surveillance without warrants, and extra-judicial execution. This thesis seeks to determine if the constitutional crisis inaugurated by this theory of executive supremacy over the laws has been terminated, or whether it has continued into the Obama Administration. If this theory is current within the executive branch, and especially if the violations of jus cogens norms has continued, it signifies a cross-party consensus about a paradigm shift in American constitutionalism. Accordingly, given the fact that the abuse of executive supremacy is what led to the development of the rule of law, this thesis will ask the question of whether the United States is being governed in accordance with its basic minimum norms. This thesis explores whether the executive is still subject to checks and balances from the legislature and the judiciary, such that it cannot violate non-derogable rights at will and with impunity. If the contrary proposition is true, it demonstrates that the crisis of the rule of law in the United States is ongoing, and this permanent state of exception demands significantly more scholarly attention. ii Table of Contents ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ II CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 1 INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................ 1 2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................ 10 3 AIMS OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................................ 10 4 STRUCTURE OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 11 5 IS A GLOBAL ‘YARDSTICK’ POSSIBLE? ............................................................................... 16 5.1 RULE OF LAW: A CONSTITUTIONAL CONCEPT SHAPED BY HISTORY ............................... 17 5.2 THE MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN PRE-HISTORY OF RULE OF LAW ........................... 18 5.3 THE PRE-HISTORY OF RULE OF LAW AND ITS ONGOING INFLUENCE ................................ 22 5.4 THE RIGHTS PROTECTED BY CORE OF THE RULE OF LAW .................................................... 26 5.5 JURISPRUDENTIAL DEBATES ABOUT RULE OF LAW CONFIRM ITS CORE ......................... 29 5.6 RULE OF LAW APPLIES TO MATTERS INVOLVING ‘NATIONAL SECURITY’ ...................... 34 6 THE ICJ’S DEVELOPMENT OF A ‘YARDSTICK’ ................................................................. 36 6.1 THE ICJ’S PROHIBITION ON THE EXECUTIVE LEGISLATING ................................................. 37 6.2 THE REQUIREMENT OF JUDICIAL REVIEW OF EXECUTIVE ACTION ................................... 38 6.3 THE ICJ ON THE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT DURING AN EMERGENCY .............................. 42 7 SEPARATION OF POWERS AS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RULE OF LAW .......................... 43 8 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 47 CHAPTER 2 .......................................................................................................................... 49 THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE RULE OF LAW IN THE UNITED STATES .................................................................................................................................. 49 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 49 1.1 THE RESILIENCY OF THE RULE OF LAW FROM 1787 TO 1940................................................. 50 2 THE COLD WAR PRESIDENCY AND THE RULE OF LAW .................................................. 57 2.1 FROM HOT WAR TO COLD: NEW CHALLENGES TO THE RULE OF LAW .............................. 66 3 THE BATTLE OVER AN UNACCOUNTABLE PRESIDENCY .............................................. 76 3.1 RESTRAINING EXECUTIVE WAR-MAKING: THE WPR .............................................................. 79 3.2 CONGRESS’ RESPONSE TO DISTORTIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS ....................... 83 3.3 NIXON’S TRUMP CARD: CONTROL OVER THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES ......................... 87 3.4 NIXON’S RESIGNATION AS RESTORATION OF THE RULE OF LAW ...................................... 93 4 REIMPLEMENTATION OF THE RULE OF LAW 1974-80 ...................................................... 94 iii 4.1 ESTABLISHING CLEAR STATUTORY LIMITS ON EXECUTIVE DISCRETION ....................... 98 5 THE CHURCH COMMITTEE’S CALL TO ACTION .............................................................. 102 5.1 THE COMMITTEE’S OUTLINE OF STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS ............... 103 6 REFORMING THE CIA, THE NSA, AND THE FBI ................................................................ 105 7 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 107 CHAPTER 3 ........................................................................................................................ 109 OVERBROAD AUTHORITY GIVEN TO AND APPROPRIATED BY THE EXECUTIVE AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACKS ................................................................... 109 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 109 2 EXECUTIVE RESISTANCE TO THE NEW RULE OF LAW ................................................ 111 2.1 CHENEY’S MINORITY REPORT ON IRAN-CONTRA AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE ...................... 113 2.2 PNAC’S BLUEPRINT FOR EXECUTIVE SUPREMACY IN FOREIGN POLICY ....................... 118 3 IMPETUS FOR EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY AFTER 9/11 ...................................................... 119 3.1 THE AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST TERRORISTS ............... 124 4 EXECUTIVE LAW-MAKING CONSTRUING THE AUMF ................................................... 131 4.1 THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF PRESIDENTIAL SIGNING STATEMENTS ...................... 134 4.2 OLC MEMORANDA CONSTRUING THE AUMF & THEIR SIGNIFICANCE ............................. 144 5 DEFENDING INHERENT EXECUTIVE RESERVE POWERS .............................................. 177 6 THE 9/11 CRISIS AND THE ICJ’S RULE OF LAW ................................................................ 182 6.1 ILLICIT LAW-MAKING GRANTING UNBRIDLED EMERGENCY POWERS ........................... 183 7 CONCLUSION: THE RULE OF LAW IN THE BALANCE— THE IMPORTANCE OF CONGRESSIONAL AND JUDICIAL RESPONSES ................................................................ 185 CHAPTER 4 ........................................................................................................................ 188 THE RESPONSE OF THE JUDICIARY ......................................................................... 188 TO EXECUTIVE OVERREACHING 2003-2012 ............................................................ 188 1 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 188 2 HABEAS CORPUS ..................................................................................................................... 189 2.1 THE SUPREME COURT’S DELAYED
Load more

Recommended publications
  • In the Supreme Court of the United States
    No. ________ In the Supreme Court of the United States KHALED A. F. AL ODAH, ET AL., PETITIONERS, v. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ET AL., RESPONDENTS. ON PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI DAVID J. CYNAMON THOMAS B. WILNER MATTHEW J. MACLEAN COUNSEL OF RECORD OSMAN HANDOO NEIL H. KOSLOWE PILLSBURY WINTHROP AMANDA E. SHAFER SHAW PITTMAN LLP SHERI L. SHEPHERD 2300 N Street, N.W. SHEARMAN & STERLING LLP Washington, DC 20037 801 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. 202-663-8000 Washington, DC 20004 202-508-8000 GITANJALI GUTIERREZ J. WELLS DIXON GEORGE BRENT MICKUM IV SHAYANA KADIDAL SPRIGGS & HOLLINGSWORTH CENTER FOR 1350 “I” Street N.W. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS Washington, DC 20005 666 Broadway, 7th Floor 202-898-5800 New York, NY 10012 212-614-6438 Counsel for Petitioners Additional Counsel Listed on Inside Cover JOSEPH MARGULIES JOHN J. GIBBONS MACARTHUR JUSTICE CENTER LAWRENCE S. LUSTBERG NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY GIBBONS P.C. LAW SCHOOL One Gateway Center 357 East Chicago Avenue Newark, NJ 07102 Chicago, IL 60611 973-596-4500 312-503-0890 MARK S. SULLIVAN BAHER AZMY CHRISTOPHER G. KARAGHEUZOFF SETON HALL LAW SCHOOL JOSHUA COLANGELO-BRYAN CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE DORSEY & WHITNEY LLP 833 McCarter Highway 250 Park Avenue Newark, NJ 07102 New York, NY 10177 973-642-8700 212-415-9200 DAVID H. REMES MARC D. FALKOFF COVINGTON & BURLING COLLEGE OF LAW 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. NORTHERN ILLINOIS Washington, DC 20004 UNIVERSITY 202-662-5212 DeKalb, IL 60115 815-753-0660 PAMELA CHEPIGA SCOTT SULLIVAN ANDREW MATHESON DEREK JINKS KAREN LEE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SARAH HAVENS SCHOOL OF LAW ALLEN & OVERY LLP RULE OF LAW IN WARTIME 1221 Avenue of the Americas PROGRAM New York, NY 10020 727 E.
    [Show full text]
  • Executive Detention
    NYSBA REPORT ON EXECUTIVE DETENTION, HABEAS CORPUS AND THE MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT OF 2006 NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION’S COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS MAY 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY.............................................................................. 1 A. The Guantanamo Detainees....................................................................... 2 B. Report Summary ........................................................................................ 7 I. HISTORY OF HABEAS CORPUS..................................................................... 12 A. The Origins of Habeas Corpus: England ................................................. 12 B. Extra-Territorial Application of Habeas Corpus at Common Law.......... 15 C. Early American Habeas Law ................................................................... 17 D. Early American Extension of Habeas Corpus to Aliens and Alien Enemy Combatants .................................................................................. 20 E. American Suspension of Habeas Corpus................................................. 23 F. World War II and the Extension of Habeas Corpus to Enemy Aliens ....................................................................................................... 28 G. Relevant Post-World War II Habeas Developments ............................... 33 H. Adequate and Effective Habeas Substitute.............................................. 37 II. LAWS OF WAR REGARDING ENEMY COMBATANTS PRE- SEPTEMBER 11TH ...........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Civilian Impact of Drone Strikes
    THE CIVILIAN IMPACT OF DRONES: UNEXAMINED COSTS, UNANSWERED QUESTIONS Acknowledgements This report is the product of a collaboration between the Human Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School and the Center for Civilians in Conflict. At the Columbia Human Rights Clinic, research and authorship includes: Naureen Shah, Acting Director of the Human Rights Clinic and Associate Director of the Counterterrorism and Human Rights Project, Human Rights Institute at Columbia Law School, Rashmi Chopra, J.D. ‘13, Janine Morna, J.D. ‘12, Chantal Grut, L.L.M. ‘12, Emily Howie, L.L.M. ‘12, Daniel Mule, J.D. ‘13, Zoe Hutchinson, L.L.M. ‘12, Max Abbott, J.D. ‘12. Sarah Holewinski, Executive Director of Center for Civilians in Conflict, led staff from the Center in conceptualization of the report, and additional research and writing, including with Golzar Kheiltash, Erin Osterhaus and Lara Berlin. The report was designed by Marla Keenan of Center for Civilians in Conflict. Liz Lucas of Center for Civilians in Conflict led media outreach with Greta Moseson, pro- gram coordinator at the Human Rights Institute at Columbia Law School. The Columbia Human Rights Clinic and the Columbia Human Rights Institute are grateful to the Open Society Foundations and Bullitt Foundation for their financial support of the Institute’s Counterterrorism and Human Rights Project, and to Columbia Law School for its ongoing support. Copyright © 2012 Center for Civilians in Conflict (formerly CIVIC) and Human Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America. Copies of this report are available for download at: www.civiliansinconflict.org Cover: Shakeel Khan lost his home and members of his family to a drone missile in 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • Retired Military Officers in Support of Petitioners
    Nos. 03-334, 03-343 In the Supreme Court of the United States __________ SHAFIQ RASUL, ET AL., Petitioners, v. GEORGE W. BUSH, ET AL., Respondents. __________ FAWZI KHALID ABDULLAH FAHAD AL ODAH, ET AL., Petitioners, v. UNITED STATES, ET AL., Respondents. On Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit BRIEF AMICUS CURIAE OF RETIRED MILITARY OFFICERS IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS MIRNA ADJAMI JAME S C. SCHROEDER Midwest Immigrant and Counsel of Record Human Rights Center GARY A. ISAAC 208 South LaSalle St. STEPHEN J. KANE Chicago, IL 60603 JON M. JUENGER (312) 660-1330 Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP 190 South LaSalle St. Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 782-0600 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTEREST OF THE AMICI CURIAE ............1 SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT .................2 ARGUMENT .............................3 I. The United States Has Played A Leading Role In Developing International Standards To Safeguard The Rights Of Captured Prisoners. 3 II. The Geneva Conventions And U.S. Military Regulations Implementing The Conventions Require That A Competent Tribunal Determine The Status Of Captured Prisoners. ..........6 III. These Cases Raise Issues Of Extraordinary Significance .........................8 A. The Judicial Branch Has A Duty To Act As A Check On The Executive Branch, Even In Wartime ..................8 B. Failure To Provide Any Judicial Review Of The Government’s Actions Could Have Grave Consequences For U.S. Military Forces Captured In Future Conflicts ..... 11 CONCLUSION ........................... 20 ii TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Page Cases: Brown v. United States, 12 U.S. (8 Cranch) 110 (1814) .............................. 10 Chandler v.
    [Show full text]
  • THE ARMY LAWYER Headquarters, Department of the Army
    THE ARMY LAWYER Headquarters, Department of the Army Department of the Army Pamphlet 27-50-366 November 2003 Articles Military Commissions: Trying American Justice Kevin J. Barry, Captain (Ret.), U.S. Coast Guard Why Military Commissions Are the Proper Forum and Why Terrorists Will Have “Full and Fair” Trials: A Rebuttal to Military Commissions: Trying American Justice Colonel Frederic L. Borch, III Editorial Comment: A Response to Why Military Commissions Are the Proper Forum and Why Terrorists Will Have “Full and Fair” Trials Kevin J. Barry, Captain (Ret.), U.S. Coast Guard Afghanistan, Quirin, and Uchiyama: Does the Sauce Suit the Gander Evan J. Wallach Note from the Field Legal Cultures Clash in Iraq Lieutenant Colonel Craig T. Trebilcock The Art of Trial Advocacy Preparing the Mind, Body, and Voice Lieutenant Colonel David H. Robertson, The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center & School, U.S. Army CLE News Current Materials of Interest Editor’s Note An article in our April/May 2003 Criminal Law Symposium issue, Moving Toward the Apex: New Developments in Military Jurisdiction, discussed the recent ACCA and CAAF opinions in United States v. Sergeant Keith Brevard. These opinions deferred to findings the trial court made by a preponderance of the evidence to resolve a motion to dismiss, specifically that the accused obtained and presented forged documents to procure a fraudulent discharge. Since the publication of these opinions, the court-matial reached the ultimate issue of the guilt of the accused on remand. The court-martial acquitted the accused of fraudulent separation and dismissed the other charges for lack of jurisdiction.
    [Show full text]
  • The Abu Ghraib Convictions: a Miscarriage of Justice
    Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal Volume 32 Article 4 9-1-2013 The Abu Ghraib Convictions: A Miscarriage of Justice Robert Bejesky Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/bpilj Part of the Human Rights Law Commons, and the Military, War, and Peace Commons Recommended Citation Robert Bejesky, The Abu Ghraib Convictions: A Miscarriage of Justice, 32 Buff. Envtl. L.J. 103 (2013). Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.buffalo.edu/bpilj/vol32/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at Digital Commons @ University at Buffalo School of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ University at Buffalo School of Law. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ABU GHRAIB CONVICTIONS: A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE ROBERT BEJESKYt I. INTRODUCTION ..................... ..... 104 II. IRAQI DETENTIONS ...............................107 A. Dragnet Detentions During the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq.........................107 B. Legal Authority to Detain .............. ..... 111 C. The Abuse at Abu Ghraib .................... 116 D. Chain of Command at Abu Ghraib ..... ........ 119 III. BASIS FOR CRIMINAL CULPABILITY ..... ..... 138 A. Chain of Command ....................... 138 B. Systemic Influences ....................... 140 C. Reduced Rights of Military Personnel and Obedience to Authority ................ ..... 143 D. Interrogator Directives ................ ....
    [Show full text]
  • Pizzagate / Pedogate, a No-Nonsense Fact-Filled Reader
    Pizzagate / Pedogate A No-nonsense Fact-filled reader Preface I therefore determine that serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. —Trump Executive Order 13818, Dec. 20, 2017 Pizzagate means many things to many people, the angle of the lens may be different, but the focus zeros in on a common body of incontestable facts. The fruit of top researchers collected in this reader allows you to compare, correlate and derive a flexible synthesis to suit your needs. An era of wild contradiction is upon us in the press. The psychopathic rumblings that pass for political discourse bring the artform of infotainment to a golden blossoming. A bookstore display table featuring The Fixers; The Bottom-Feeders, Crooked Lawyers, Gossipmongers, and Porn Stars Who Created the 45th President versus Witch Hunt; The Story of the Greatest Mass Delusion in American Political History are both talking about the same man, someone who paid for his campaign out of his own pocket. There were no big donors from China and the traditional bank of puppeteers. This created a HUGE problem, one whose solution threatened the money holders and influence peddlers. New leadership and a presidential order that threw down the gauntlet, a state of emergency, seeded the storm clouds. The starting gun was fired, all systems were go, the race had begun. FISAs and covert operations sprang into action. The envelopes are being delivered, the career decisions are being made, should I move on or stay the course.
    [Show full text]
  • State of Idaho
    STATE OF IDAHO CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES OF CANDIDATES FOR STATEWIDE, LEGISLATIVE, AND JUDICIAL OFFICE and POLITICAL COMMITTEES January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2006 and LOBBYIST EXPENDITURES 2005 - 2006 COMPILED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF BEN YSURSA SECRETARY OF STATE STATE OF IDAHO OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE BEN YSURSA Dear Citizens of Idaho: This report is the fourteenth compilation of the campaign disclosure and lobbyist expenditure reports filed pursuant to the "Sunshine Law." The purpose of this report is to disseminate the information in our files to the public in an easily accessible form. We would hope that this compilation will play an integral part in achieving the ultimate goal of the Sunshine Law - - Public Disclosure. In that regard I invite you to visit our elections website at www.sos.idaho.gov to access further campaign information. We invite and appreciate your suggestions for improving this report. Sincerely, BEN YSURSA Secretary of State P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0080 Elections Telephone: (208) 334-2852, FAX: (208) 334-2282 Located at 304 North 8th, Ste. 149 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction...................................................................iii Definitions.....................................................................iv SECTION I: Total Amount of Contributions and Expenditures Unopposed Candidates in 2006 ................................... 1 Statewide Candidates................................................... 2 District Judge Candidates............................................
    [Show full text]
  • Spy Culture and the Making of the Modern Intelligence Agency: from Richard Hannay to James Bond to Drone Warfare By
    Spy Culture and the Making of the Modern Intelligence Agency: From Richard Hannay to James Bond to Drone Warfare by Matthew A. Bellamy A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (English Language and Literature) in the University of Michigan 2018 Dissertation Committee: Associate Professor Susan Najita, Chair Professor Daniel Hack Professor Mika Lavaque-Manty Associate Professor Andrea Zemgulys Matthew A. Bellamy [email protected] ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6914-8116 © Matthew A. Bellamy 2018 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to all my students, from those in Jacksonville, Florida to those in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is also dedicated to the friends and mentors who have been with me over the seven years of my graduate career. Especially to Charity and Charisse. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Dedication ii List of Figures v Abstract vi Chapter 1 Introduction: Espionage as the Loss of Agency 1 Methodology; or, Why Study Spy Fiction? 3 A Brief Overview of the Entwined Histories of Espionage as a Practice and Espionage as a Cultural Product 20 Chapter Outline: Chapters 2 and 3 31 Chapter Outline: Chapters 4, 5 and 6 40 Chapter 2 The Spy Agency as a Discursive Formation, Part 1: Conspiracy, Bureaucracy and the Espionage Mindset 52 The SPECTRE of the Many-Headed HYDRA: Conspiracy and the Public’s Experience of Spy Agencies 64 Writing in the Machine: Bureaucracy and Espionage 86 Chapter 3: The Spy Agency as a Discursive Formation, Part 2: Cruelty and Technophilia
    [Show full text]
  • China's Pervasive Use of Torture
    CHINA’S PERVASIVE USE OF TORTURE HEARING BEFORE THE CONGRESSIONAL-EXECUTIVE COMMISSION ON CHINA ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION APRIL 14, 2016 Printed for the use of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China ( Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.cecc.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 99–773 PDF WASHINGTON : 2016 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Publishing Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800 Fax: (202) 512–2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC 20402–0001 VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:06 Jul 21, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 U:\DOCS\99773.TXT DEIDRE CONGRESSIONAL-EXECUTIVE COMMISSION ON CHINA LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS House Senate CHRIS SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman MARCO RUBIO, Florida, Cochairman ROBERT PITTENGER, North Carolina TOM COTTON, Arkansas TRENT FRANKS, Arizona STEVE DAINES, Montana RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma DIANE BLACK, Tennessee BEN SASSE, Nebraska TIM WALZ, Minnesota DIANNE FEINSTEIN, California MARCY KAPTUR, Ohio JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon MICHAEL HONDA, California GARY PETERS, Michigan TED LIEU, California EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS CHRISTOPHER P. LU, Department of Labor SARAH SEWALL, Department of State STEFAN M. SELIG, Department of Commerce DANIEL R. RUSSEL, Department of State TOM MALINOWSKI, Department of State PAUL B. PROTIC, Staff Director ELYSE B. ANDERSON, Deputy Staff Director (II) VerDate Mar 15 2010 14:06 Jul 21, 2016 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0486 Sfmt 0486 U:\DOCS\99773.TXT DEIDRE CO N T E N T S STATEMENTS Page Opening Statement of Hon.
    [Show full text]
  • Interviews with Detainees Nytimes.Com
    Transcript - Interviews With Detainees - Text - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/world/asia/29detainees.ht... This copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers here or use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint of this article now. November 29, 2009 TRANSCRIPT Interviews With Detainees Following are excerpts of interviews with former detainees held at a military jail at American air base in Afghanistan. HAYATULLAH, 33, pharmacist. Detained in July 2007; released in October. ON HIS CAPTURE In Kandahar City, it was 12:30 in the afternoon. I was in my pharmacy, where I was a pharmacist. I was there with my partner. The foreign forces came and took us away, my partner and I. When they came into my shop; they blindfolded my eyes, tied up my hands behind and put a hood on my head, and we were taken to somewhere. I have no idea where it was, but I think it was still in Kandahar; After two nights we were taken to Bagram. ON BAGRAM — ‘BLACK JAIL’ In Bagram, they took me to interrogations, and I kept asking them, ‘Why are we here, why am I detained, what was the reason?’ But they didn’t tell me why they had detained me. After seven or eight months, they said, ‘Once in your house you invited Taliban as guests and fed them so that is why we took you.” First, when they took me to Bagram.
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluating the Senate Select Intelligence Committee's Torture Report and Assessing the Legal Liability Of
    Pace International Law Review Volume 28 Issue 1 Spring 2016 Article 4 April 2016 The Torturers: Evaluating the Senate Select Intelligence Committee’s Torture Report and Assessing the Legal Liability of “Company Y” Under the Alien Tort Statute David J. Satnarine American University, Washington College of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pilr Part of the Business Organizations Law Commons, Courts Commons, and the International Law Commons Recommended Citation David J. Satnarine, The Torturers: Evaluating the Senate Select Intelligence Committee’s Torture Report and Assessing the Legal Liability of “Company Y” Under the Alien Tort Statute, 28 Pace Int'l L. Rev. 161 (2016) Available at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pilr/vol28/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law at DigitalCommons@Pace. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pace International Law Review by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Pace. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 4 DAVID J SATNARINE (DO NOT DELETE) 8/30/2016 3:53 PM THE TORTURERS: EVALUATING THE SENATE SELECT INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE’S TORTURE REPORT AND ASSESSING THE LEGAL LIABILITY OF “COMPANY Y” UNDER THE ALIEN TORT STATUTE David J. Satnarine* INTRODUCTION .................................................................... 162 I. OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL PROHIBITION AGAINST TORTURE ...................................................................... 163 A. Defining Customary International Law, The Law of Nations, and jus cogens Norms ........................... 163 B. International and Domestic Prohibition Against Torture ..................................................................... 166 C. The History of the ATS and its Application in U.S. Courts .............................................................. 167 D. The Kiobel Complaint and Supreme Court Decisions .................................................................
    [Show full text]