George Anderson. Peter Dimock

the American government.

      You called torture by its name with the knowledge and authority your body gave you. You wrote a draft of an official finding, writing as acting head of the Office of Legal Counsel whose words had the force of law. You ruled torture to be illegal under U.S. law and treaty obligations no matter what was claimed by historical actors of the executive branch to be the requirements of empire. You then added a footnote—was it forced on you? If so how was that order enforced?—that undid your memorandum’s asserted intention to withdraw legal protection from the torture that had been inflicted for years on persons within the control of the U.S. government and, in secret, had been made official policy in August 2002.