Just yesterday a newspaper quoted a Justice Department spokesperson as saying that the Department supported thses provisions. In light of your strong statement against torture and the Justice Department's apparent endorsement of the provisions, I respectfully request your views on Sections 3032 and 3033 of H.R. 10. In light of the impending House floor vote on this bill on the week of October 4th, I request that you please let the Congress know now--before the vote--where you stand on this issue, before we take up and approve a provision that would legitimize the outsourcing of torture to other countries.

President Bush:

Next week Congress will vote on the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act of 2004, Sections 3032 and 3033 of which will legalize sending "suspected terrorists" to other countries which practice torture. The Medium Lobster commends the foresight of House Speaker Dennis Hastert and the Republican House leadership, who have inserted these measures into the bill and have fought to prevent Democrats from removing or changing these sections, for torture is necessary to protect the American people from terrorists, and how can protecting the American people from terrorists be wrong?

However, these provisions must not be passed in the dark. If we are to embrace torture, we must do so openly and without hesitation, and as both the commander-in-chief and as the leader of the party which has taken this bold step, only you can embrace it. George Bush, in the defense of the United States you have donned the mantle of a War President and of a Peace President. It is time for you to become the Torture President.

Since shipping suspects off to second-tier Axes of Evil to be beaten and electrocuted is the just thing - no, the noble thing - no, the necessary thing, for why else would it be in so critical a piece of legislature as the bill intended to protect America from the next 9/11? - this policy must be endorsed, publicly, by the President himself. Call a press conference, announce it on every television network, hold a Rose Garden ceremony with yourself, Speaker Hastert and the half-dozen drugged and bleeding Muslims of your choice. Let the world know that America stands for freedom, and freedom stands for torture. If you did any less, how could you live with yourself?

Most sincerely,
The Medium Lobster