John Yoo is one of the prime--if not the prime--formulators of the blatantly inadequate and outrageous legal opinions that justified the Bush administration's use of torture.

His opinions were not just idle academic theories: They helped further the actual practice of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Why is he still allowed to teach at Berkeley? Why hasn't or doesn't the Berkeley faculty senate or law-school senate demand his dismissal? Why haven't or aren't disbarment proceedings being brought against him?

Scott Horton today quotes an article in Vanity Fair excerpted from Philippe Sands' new expose of Bush's torture lawyers:

"Addington, Bybee, Gonzales, Haynes, and Yoo became, in effect, a torture team of lawyers, freeing the administration from the constraints of all international rules prohibiting abuse."

Horton then himself writes:

"They (Yoo et al) also missed the established precedent I have cited repeatedly here, namely United States v. Altstoetter, under the rule of which the conduct of the torture lawyers is a criminal act not shielded by any notions of government immunity."

Why is Berkeley providing employment to a likely war criminal? Why aren't thousands of people gathering at the Law School, demanding Yoo's ouster?

_______



About author Writer/spoken-word performer Barry Yourgrau is author of the NASTYbooks series for 10 year olds and up (HarperCollins). The latest, Writer/spoken-word performer Barry Yourgrau is author of the NASTYbooks series for 10 year olds and up (HarperCollins). The latest, Yet Another NASTYbook: MiniNasties is out May 1. Barry's older fans know him from earlier adult books, Wearing Dad's Head and The Sadness of Sex, and his appearances on NPR and MTV and clubs in LA and NY. On screen Barry starred in the film version of The Sadness of Sex (dir. Rupert Wainwright, with Peta Wilson). Other film include Fatman and Little Boy, and Terminal Justice. More info at www.yourgrau.com and www.nastybook.com