Originally published December 7 2005
Powell's Chief of Staff links Cheney to practice of torture on prisoners of war
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
According to CNN, Retired U.S. Army Col. Larry Wilkerson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, has implicated Vice President Cheney as the top proponent of torture in the current administration.
There's no question in my mind that we may be still doing it," Wilkerson said on CNN's "Late Edition."
"There's no question in my mind where the philosophical guidance and the flexibility in order to do so originated -- in the vice president of the United States' office," he said.
"His implementer in this case was [Defense Secretary] Donald Rumsfeld and the Defense Department."
Traveling in Latin America earlier this month, President Bush defended U.S. treatment of prisoners, saying flatly, "We do not torture."
Cheney has lobbied against a measure in Congress that would outlaw "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment" of prisoners, calling for an exception for the CIA in cases that involve a detainee who may have knowledge of an imminent attack.
The amendment was included in a $491 billion Pentagon spending bill that declared 2006 to be "a period of significant transition" for Iraq.
John McCain, an Arizona Republican who was tortured as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, the amendment was approved in the Senate last month by a 90-9 vote.
The White House has said that Bush would likely veto the bill if McCain's language is included, calling the amendment "unnecessary and duplicative."
Rumsfeld told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that the White House was in negotiations with the Senate over the amendment.
Rumsfeld denies 'cabal' charge Bush administration officials, including Rumsfeld and military officials, have denied that instances of torture were ever officially condoned.
"All the instructions I issued required humane treatment," Rumsfeld told ABC.
Wilkerson told CNN Sunday he does not know "if the president was witting in this or not."
"I voted for him twice," he said.
Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said they had no recollection of Wilkerson having attended meetings with Rumsfeld or Cheney.
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