While the United states Armed Forces (private mercenaries) are in Afghanistan and the Philippines defending “all freedom-loving people everywhere in the world,” de facto Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush (having received an unlawful advantage of 52 ineligible Electoral votes) denies that the Third Geneva Convention applies to captured al Qaida (Arabic for “the Base”) militiamen, by issuing an internal memo giving the go ahead to torture detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba:

       [O]ur values as a nation, values that we share with many nations in the world, call for us to treat detainees humanely, including those who are not legally entitled to such treatment. Our nation has been, and will continue to be, a strong supporter of Geneva and its principles. As a matter of policy, the Armed Forces are to treat detainees humanely, and to the extent appropriate and consistent with military necessity, in a manner consistent with the principles of Geneva.

       [added 7/3/2023] Thanks to G. Edward Griffin and Freedoms Phoenix for this entry.

       Alberto R. Gonzales, Legal Counsel to Republican (fascist/socialist) de facto President George W. Bush (having received an unlawful advantage of 52 ineligible Electoral votes), submits “Humane Treatment of al Qaeda and Taliban Detainees,” to Bush; Republican de facto Vice President Richard B. Cheney (also having received an unlawful advantage of 52 ineligible Electoral votes); Colin L. Powell, secretary of state; John D. Ashcroft, attorney general of the United states; Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense; George J. Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence; Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor; and U.s. Air Force General Richard B. Myers (private mercenary), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  Despite the manual’s compassionate sounding name, it rationalizes the torture of “unlawful enemy combatants.”

       [added 11/10/2023]

       Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense (foreign military aggression), speculating to his troops at Aviano Air Base, Italy, on the upcoming Iraqi-American War, says, ” [I]t is not knowable if force will be used, but if it is to be used, it is not knowable how long that conflict would last. It could last, you know, six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.”

       Postscript: The war lasted more than six years using the United states Armed Forces (private mercenaries) and more than a decade using department of state contractors (soldiers of fortune).

       [restored 7/3/2023] Thanks to Freedom’s Phoenix for this entry.