Last week, the Department of Justice released memos from the former administration which authorized the use of “enhanced interrogation” techniques. The memos describe in horrifying detail techniques authorized by the Department of Justice on detainees in Gitmo and other black sites. Upon the release of the memos, the President said, “In releasing these memos, it is our intention to assure those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that they will not be subject to prosecution.” He goes on to say, “This is a time for reflection, not retribution.” In other words, we aren’t going to prosecute war criminals. With all due respect Mr. President, the last time I checked, justice is not retribution.

First off, the memos attempt to justify the acts of torture as not torture, even though our own government acknowledges these techniques as torture prior to September 11th. In the memos, they go on to say that because the interrogations do not take place in areas under US control (aka black sites), they are exempt from Geneva Conventions. In reading the memos, this infers that even if the techniques are torture (which they are) the US would be above the law because technically, the torture is taking place in others countries outside of US control. It is perfectly clear, even to someone that never had any law training; the memos were a lame attempt at justifying an illegal act as legal.

Some have said that waterboarding is not torture. Here is an account of waterboarding recipient, Ramon Navarro, as described in 1947 court proceedings in the trial of a WWII Japanese war criminal:

Col. Keeley: And then did he take you back to your room?

Drowning. You could hardly breathe.

Anti-torture legislation in the US clearly prohibits techniques that employ the “threat of imminent death” (18 USC Sections 2340 and 2340A). Simulating drowning is a threat of imminent death. But the US did not just stop at waterboarding. The Department of Justice authorized the use of sleep deprivation (up to 7 ½ days at a time) and strict liquid-only diets to be used in conjunction with the waterboarding techniques.

To those who say that is not torture, would you want any US service member to endure this? Would you want these techniques used against you if you were accused of committing a crime? Would you want any of these acts committed under your name? If we do not prosecute these acts, how then can we justify prosecuting future war crimes against us? Mr. President, by refusing to prosecute, you have gone against your oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, specifically Article VI, paragraph 2.

(You can read the memos and sign the petition requesting independent prosecutor to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute individuals who authorized and used torture here.)

Here are a few tips I got in my email – you may have seen them before but it’s always helpful to be reminded so you can be sure all your info is up to date.

1. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put ‘PHOTO ID REQUIRED.’

2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the ‘For’ line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won’t have access to it.

3. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have It printed, anyone can get it.

4. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Copy both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.

I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We’ve all heard horror stories about fraud that’s committed on us in stealing a Name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

Unfortunately, I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line app roved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.

But here’s some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

5. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.

6. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc. were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here’s what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)

7. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and also call the Social Security fraud line number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the internet in my name.

The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves’ purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks..

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, if it has been stolen:

1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

2.) Experian (formerly TRW) : 1-888-397-3742

3.) Trans Union : 1-800-680 7289

4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

Learn How to Lock Your Credit Reports from inquiries, applications and even background checks.