Recommended Reading

by Jacob T. Levy

I'll say it. For the past two weeks or so, Balkinization's contributors, including our own Sandy Levinson, have been putting up post after important post on executive power, torture, and the Bush administration's extravagant constitutional claims. I think these may be the most morally and constitutionally urgent matters in the American political order right now. I lack any interesting expertise that would let me write anything on the subjects you should read instead of reading their posts. A selection:

Marty Lederman:

Here's the Administration's Cruel Treatment and Torture Authorization Act

The CIA's "Alternative Set of Procedures": Calling Things by Their Right Names

Does Torture Save Lives?

Business As Usual?
Will Congress Authorize Violations of the Geneva Convention?

At Last, the Issue is Publicly Joined . . . and When All the Smoke has Cleared, the Central Question is Quite Simple

Getting with "The Program": Clarity Through Obfuscation
Even OLC is Unwilling to Say That That These Techniques Comply with Geneva

Jack Balkin:

Draft of Warner-Graham Bill on Military Commissions

September 11 and American Politics, Five Years Later

The Great Debate Over the Rule of Law-- and Civic Courage

"Final" Version of the Warner-McCain-Graham Bill on Military Commissions

Brian Tamanaha:

On Stalin's (Torturous) "Alternative Set of Procedures"

Sandy Levinson:

Article 48 and the U.S. Constitution

Hear, hear. Please, go read.