The Washington Post editorial board is urging Senators not to confirm Alberto "Fredo" Gonzales. It's a scathingly sharp and straight-forward indictment of the attorney general designate.
Some [Senators] expressed dismay at his reluctance to state that it is illegal for American personnel to use torture, or for the president to order it. A number of senators clearly believe, as we do, that Mr. Gonzales bears partial responsibility for decisions that have led to shocking, systematic and ongoing violations of human rights by the United States. ... At a time when nominees for the Cabinet can be disqualified because of their failure to pay taxes on a nanny's salary, this reluctance to hold Mr. Gonzales accountable is shameful. He does not deserve to be confirmed as attorney general.
Let's see here. We finance torture. Our Senators endorse those who advocated allowing torture. America, of all the nations on this planet, is now synonymous with the practice of torturing prisoners and detainees.
"Freedom is the almighty's gift to the world," Bush likes to say. Sadly, the world now believes that torture -- the worst brand of human rights violation -- has become the fine print in that deal. We're handing out candy bars with razor blades buried between the nougat and caramel.