So there we were, rolling innocently along, when the Wall Street Journal posted leaked material from the president's counsel--a memorandum to the president advising him, it appears, of the ways in which prohibitions against torture--whether in U.S. or international law--might be suspended during times of national crisis--"National crisis" as deemed by the administration, of course. John Ashcroft adamantly refused the Senate committee that had requested he release the entire memo to them. Ashcroft also adamantly insisted that he thought torture was not acceptable policy.

So where do forum members stand on this? Is this level of government secrecy of concern to anyone here? Does the administration's attitude toward the Congress's request for information both anyone? Why, or why not?

Joe B.