discourse analysis

"Our country is at war and our government has the obligation to protect the
American people," Bush said. "Any activity we conduct is within the law. We do
not torture."

Initially, it was the words that followed this quote that caught my attention on the radio:

"We're working with Congress to make sure that as we go forward, we make it
possible, more possible, to do our job," Bush said. "There's an enemy that lurks
and plots and plans and wants to hurt America again. And so, you bet we will
aggressively pursue them. But we will do so under the law."

You know, I would hope that the reason we don't torture is because we are not trash. By devaluing the humanity of others, we devalue our own.

But doesn't it sound to you like Bush & Cheney are trying to find legal ways to torture people? Congress is the body of government that creates, changes, and and repeals laws. Seriously. Why, when questioned about torture, would Mr. Bush respond that they're going to the lawmaking body? Why? So that they can legally torture somebody.

"Any activity we conduct is within the law." Not every activity, but any activity. Indefinate adjective. Anything that we do is within the law, because we are the law. We are untouchable.
We don't torture. We go to Congress to redefine torture, so that what we do is not torture. We are incapable of conducting activity outside the law, because we manipulate the law.

"We do not torture." I want these four words to be true, not in a legalistic way, but in a descriptive way. We shouldn't need Congress live up to these four words.

God will judge us all, Mr. Bush. Including you.