Bush Administration: "Sweeping Pardons Unnecessary" (Re: Torture)

[prostock69]

WASHINGTON -- The White House isn't inclined to grant sweeping pardons for former administration officials involved in harsh interrogations and detentions of terror suspects, according to people familiar with the situation. Some Republicans have been pushing for President George W. Bush to grant pre-emptive clemency to officials who fear being investigated by Democratic critics. White House officials have countered that such pardons are unnecessary, these people say. The officials point to Justice Department legal opinions that supported the administration's methods of detaining and interrogating terror suspects. More to the story in below link.



http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122756675347954409.html

[JuniperLea]

1. If they have broken no laws...

They shouldn't worry about a pardon, right?

Democratic critics my lily white ass! How about law abiding critics, dumbasses!

[Blarch]

2. They know Obama won't hold them accountable

Simple as that.

[damntexdem]

3. Hey, the important thing is no pardons.

Then, the indictments can always come later.

[lurky]

4. "Sweeping" is the key word here.

Instead of sweeping pardons, they will have a giant pardon vacuum cleaner that will suck up all the accountability in Washington. Much more modern and efficient.

:P

[TripleKatPad]

5. Good point. We're all gonna get Hoovered

Probably in multiple ways.

[Vattel]

6. I wish that just once someone

would explain to me why waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques are criminal. The Military Commissions Act weakened the War Crimes Act so that waterboarding no longer violates it anymore (and the changes to the War Crimes Act applied retroactively all the way back into the 90s). The Torture Act defines torture too narrowly to include waterboarding. Waterboarding is criminal under the UCMJ, but that code applies only to military personnel. Please show me the criminal statute that was violated by CIA waterboarding.