MoveOn.Org Applauds DOJ Appointment of a Special Prosecutor

[Clio the Leo]

MoveOn.org released a statement Monday afternoon hailing the Justice Department's decision to appoint an investigator to consider prosecuting Bush administration interrogation abuses.
Justin Ruben, the group's executive director, writes: "We applaud Attorney General Holder's choice to appoint a prosecutor to begin the investigation of the Bush-era torture policies. And we hope this is just the beginning. The Department of Justice must not only investigate the CIA, but also those who ordered, approved and sanctioned the torture. We need to make sure those all the way up the chain of command are held responsible for their actions.

"It's clear now that the torture programs undertaken by the CIA, and authorized by high-level administration officials, were clearly immoral and likely illegal. These actions have made our nation less secure and have put our troops bravely serving around the world in far greater danger. We hope all parties will fully cooperate with this investigation and that John Durham will be allowed to conduct an investigation free of political pressures and Washington turf battles."

http://www.politico.com/politico44/wbarchive/whiteboard08242009.html

[KansDem]

1. A big step in the right direction...

It's clear now that the torture programs undertaken by the CIA, and authorized by high-level administration officials, were clearly immoral and likely illegal.

It's my hope they get them all; from Bush and Cheney on down through their legions of toadies and shills...

[ej510]

4. After the Tom Ridge news; which was really old news they had to do something, because there was far

too much corruption in the Bush administration.

[polichick]

2. "And we hope this is just the beginning." - ME TOO! nt

[Metta]

3. I think unless they go up the food chain, this is just a white wash to placate those who want this.

So far, I'm unimpressed by O's and Holder's actions on this and related issues. They've been too little.

[Clio the Leo]

5. And Lieberman says.......

"I respectfully regret this decision by Attorney General Holder and fear our country will come to regret it too because an open ended criminal investigation of past CIA activity, which has already been condemned and prohibited, will have a chilling effect on the men and women agents of our intelligence community whose uninhibited bravery and skill we depend on every day to protect our homeland from the next terrorist attack. Career prosecutors in the Department of Justice have previously reviewed allegations of abuse and concluded that prosecution was not warranted, with the exception of one CIA contractor who has already been convicted. President Obama has established clear guidelines to ensure that past abuses are not repeated and has stated his desire to look forward rather than backward.

"We cannot take for granted the fact that our homeland has not been attacked since September 11, 2001. That has occurred only because of the constant vigilance and unflinching efforts by those brave individuals in our military, civilian homeland security and counterterrorism agencies, and the intelligence community. These public servants must of course live within the law but they must also be free to do their dangerous and critical jobs without worrying that years from now a future Attorney General will authorize a criminal investigation of them for behavior that a previous Attorney General concluded was authorized and legal."

http://www.politico.com/politico44/wbarchive/whiteboard08242009.html

Be careful with whom you agree. ;)

[Cha]

6. This is great, isn't it,

moveon?!

[Clio the Leo]

7. Well, it's definately a more supportive way of.....

.... demanding the WH do more. Something I think we here at DU, and the party as a whole, need to do more of.

I dont have a problem with someone being unsatisfied with what the President is doing, it's when folks start sounding like they have the "Republican" box ticked on their voter cards that *I* dont like.

[Cha]

8. This is my favorite quote of the week..

"A band of idealogues created gitmo....

.... another band of idealogues want a neat and tidy ending.

The Oval Office exists in the real world."

[Clio the Leo]

9. exactly. NT