Retired generals, admirals to talk torture with Presidential hopefuls, but McCain won't be there

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http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Exgenerals_admirals_to_talk_torture_with_0413.html


Retired generals, admirals to talk torture with Presidential hopefuls, but McCain won't be there
Michael Roston
Published: Friday April 13, 2007
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A group of retired generals and admirals will sit down for informal discussions with four presidential candidates in New Hampshire over the course of this weekend. A human rights group has organized the discussions to allow the military veterans to deliver messages to the 2008 hopefuls on US detention policy in the war on terrorism and the use of torture.

But one key candidate who has become known for his anti-torture advocacy, Senator John McCain (R-AZ), will not be in attendance.

"Unfortunately, the senator will be in Iowa and DC this weekend," a member of McCain's presidential campaign staff told RAW STORY via e-mail.

McCain wasn't alone among Republican candidates who did not arrange to meet with the retired officers. Only four Democratic candidates had confirmed meeting times during the weekend – Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Joseph Biden, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, and former Senator John Edwards – according to Rear Admiral John Hutson, (ret.), President and Dean of the Franklin Pierce Law Center, in Concord, NH, which is hosting the discussions.

Human Rights First, which organized the event, emphasized that it was continuing to work to get other candidates briefings on detention and interrogations. One of the participating retired generals explicitly left the door open to future dialog.

"Not everyone has shown up, and we want to state clearly they were all invited, and all encouraged to attend, all would have been welcome," said retired four star General Charles Krulak, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, in a Friday morning conference call. "We don't think its from a lack of interest, and we're going to make it a point to get with each one of them in the next months."

Human Rights First organized the sit downs with 20 former admirals and generals in New Hampshire, which hosts the first presidential primary in 2008, to raise awareness with candidates from both parties about detention and interrogation issues in the war on terrorism.

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