Alberto Gonzales Is a Bad Man (Why Oh Why Are We Ruled by These Liars? Department)
In comments, JR writes:
Gonzales'references to athletic uniforms and scientific equipment was a classic rhetorical tactic - find some minor thing in the Convention to ridicule and thereby invite your reader to conclude with a sneer that the whole thing needs to be junked.... Gonzales' references... are lies. There is no requirement that POWs be "afforded" athletic uniforms and scientific instruments. There IS a requirement that prisoners be allowed to receive mail, including packages, which may include such things as "foodstuffs, clothing, medical supplies and articles of a religious, educational or recreational character which may meet their needs, including books, devotional articles, scientific equipment, examination papers, musical instruments, [and] sports outfits..." (Geneva Convention III, Art. 72).
So in order to ridicule the Geneva Convention, Gonzales had to lie about it.
And why are we not surprised to find Okrent repeating Gonzales' lies in his parting column?
