IMHO Obama is Underestimating the Ramifications of Giving Torturers A Pass...

[Blackhatjack]

... if reports are indeed accurate that torturers will not be prosecuted under the Obama Administration.

Certainly the responsibility is shared with Congress, but Obama will have to decide which side of the fence he will be on when it comes to addressing the overwhelming evidence of the US personnel engaged in torture.

If we do not hold accountable those who planned, approved, and engaged in this conduct, there won't be much ground upon which to rebuild the US reputation for standing against other governments' sponsored torture throughout the world.

It is unfortunate that the Obama Administration cannot pick up matters and move forward without having to investigate, prosecute, and correct the practices of the past Bush Administration. But if Obama does not take this action, the clearly documented instances of torture by individuals who will walk away unpunished, will undermine our reputation in the world for decades to come --and the Obama Administration will be inextricably connected to it for not taking the appropriate action as the succeeding Administration.

There will be another grave consequence of failing to take action in this manner. In the future there won't be a deterrence against similar conduct since those engaged in that conduct in the past were allowed to escape responsibility.

[T Wolf]

1. The same applies to all actions of the * administration. Letting them skate WILL come back at

the Obama administration.

And if he thinks that this leniency will result in cooperation from the rethugs and right-wing Dems, he is making a mistake far more serious than any he made during his campaign.

[Blackhatjack]

2. The lessons of Iran/Contra are relatively fresh ... you ignore them and they come back to haunt you

The numerous Iran/Contra characters came back to life again and again because the Clinton Administration decided to 'look forward' and ignore the responsibility for bringing those individuals to justice.

We cannot afford a repeat with the George W. Bush Administration.

[T Wolf]

7. It will be repeated because the Dems (INO) will do nothing to rein in the abuses of the

* administration.

They didn't raise a voice in protest when the pukes had the majority.

They did nothing after taking control of BOTH HOUSES of Congress in 2006.

And they are doing NOTHING now.

I know. They are keeping their powder dry until they have a super-dooper majority.

Obama continues to sell out the Democratic wing of the party to appease his center-right and far-right friends.

[Two Americas]

12. yes

And the red scare era, Viet Nam, and the Nixon administration. The right wingers wreck the country, and then when they are finally brought to heel we start hearing about "healing" and "forgiving" and "moving on" and "the good of the country" and they all walk.

The problem is that they will be back.

[Life Long Dem]

3. Obama is still going to form a commission to study interrogations

Like the 9/11 commission. What he has said is he'll make sure America does not torture.

[Elidor]

15. Oh, a commission?

I feel so much better now!

[yodermon]

17. Yes, a commission. With subpoena power, that can force the Pardoned Torturer Fucks to

testify publicly.

How is this bad?

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. The Bush Administration is talking about giving blanket Pardons

Without even siting names or crimes.

[Blackhatjack]

5. It is my hope that Obama aides are floating this idea of 'free passes' to avert the blanket pardons

... which Bush may attempt to issue before leaving office.

Once Obama takes office Jan 20th, he could announce he had changed his mind and crank up the prosecutions.

[Metta]

6. I agree. Silence means consent. This is a really bad precident.

I hope he changes his mind.

[Hawkowl]

8. Meet the new boss...

Same as the old boss. Hope I'm wrong, but that song just goes through my head. If he doesn't prosecute torturers, he is condoning them and he will be complicit in supporting torture. Flame away.

[truedelphi]

11. That song has been my ear worm lately also.

Obama is sure a heck of a lot brighter than the alternative.

But every day when I see my avatar next to my posts, I realize how wretched the political process is.

One person understands that Paulson et al are crooks running through the last remaining pieces of change in our taxpayer-funded Treasury and the other thinks "Good Job Brownie, er Hank."

[Blackhatjack]

9. Obama is smart... hopefully he is 'listening' to aides, but has not made up his mind yet...

There are some actions the President will counseled against taking, but this is one in which Obama must overrule those in favor of giving the torturers a free pass.

It seems like a brightline test for someone intent on restoring the good reputation of the United States in the world.

[Gregorian]

10. The Bush group did everything with the aid of high powered lawyers.

I see the Framers. And I see the Constitution they created as being challenged.

The Framers were only human. And here, after all of this time, we have a large group of highly keen and criminally minded people who have found every little crack and cranny, in an attempt to subvert and circumvent the law.

It will be a difficult time to find these people guilty. Whether it was finding a way of making it nearly impossible to unravel the revealing of a covert CIA agent, or just why several commercial airliners were allowed to hit targets inside the USA, all while President Pinhead sat and waited for it to finish.

Obama knows this, I believe. And I hope I'm wrong. Maybe Sibel Edmonds or someone else has the goods.

God knows I'm pissed. Before that second tower hit the ground, I got a call from my sister saying "Bush". I'll never forget it. How the hell did she know. Now how does Obama prove any of this.

Now torture is pretty straightforward, and even that may be impossible to settle in court.

[TuxedoKat]

13. At the very least...

I think he should investigate this too if nothing else. It would help to restore some of our reputation around the world. Why don't you send your opinion to the Obama Campaign?

[bvar22]

14. A waste of time to wait for The Democrats to deal with this.

It is time to go Private, and Go Global.
Citizens of the World can go where Democrats fear to go.

Money talks.

Somewhere, there is a small group of lawyers who will read the dollar signs.

I will donate $500 to ANY organization that will place a Bounty on Bush/Cheney to be paid to anyone who provides evidence that leads to their indictment or the issuing of an International Arrest warrant for WAR CRIMES.

A small, transparent trust located in a neutral country like Switzerland could administer the fund. If the BOUNTY is promoted internationally, it would quickly grow to Mega-Millions.

The fund would also be tasked with running full page Wanted For War Crimes ads in major Global newspapers every 3 months until the Bounty is awarded or depleted.

I believe that such a fund would be wildly popular worldwide, and provide the administrators an opportunity to make a little money.
I have neither the resources or skills to institute such a fund, but like I said above, I am willing to donate $500. I also believe that there are at least a million more worldwide (extreme minimum) who would also be willing to donate....that adds up to some serious money.

Wanted
for
WAR CRIMES


A $500 Million Dollar Reward will be paid to any individual, organization, or country that provides concrete information leading to the arrest, or the issuance of an Internal Arrest Warrant for War Crimes committed by George Bush, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, or Donald Rumsfeld.

It is clear that the Opposition Party (Democratic Party) and the US Justice Department will do NOTHING to hold the criminals accountable.
A private organization representing Citizens of the World would have better results.

Even if Bush/Cheney are never arrested, a Mega-Million Dollar International Bounty would certainly keep them looking over their shoulders, curtail retirement travel plans, AND serve as a warning to future "Unitary Executives".

It would also put a nice ribbon around the Bush Legacy.

[AtomicKitten]

16. I fully expect those responsible at the top of the food chain will be pardoned by Junior.

[pat_k]

18. . . .and then Obama's administration should prosecute for Obstruction of Justice.

Just as Clinton's should have when Poppy Bush pardoned his co-conspirators.

A President's power to pardon may be broad; but it does NOT immunize from prosecution when those pardons are abused to silence witnesses against him.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0511-29.htm">Hey Democrats, Truth Matters!

Of course, what duty demands of Obama -- and of every other defender of the Constitution and American Principle -- is a call for the immediate impeachment Bush and Cheney for torture.