Obama Continues to Stonewall Efforts to Hold Bush Administration Officials Accountable

[Bluebear]

By Kevin Gosztola,
June 10, 2010

Despite the fact that more and more information continues to trickle out because of the diligence of individuals, groups and organizations concerned about accountability for torture and other violations of civil liberties, the Obama Administration continues to block the release of photos, withhold information and stonewall efforts to hold Bush Administration officials accountable.

Throughout the Obama Administration, episodes have regularly taken place each time firsthand accounts on "enhanced interrogation techniques" and terror suspects in prisons and descriptions from policy papers detailing interrogation procedures are released as a result of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The requests usually lead to press releases issued by human rights organizations, which usually lead to the information released being shared through blogs, Internet news sites, newspapers, and quite often segments on cable news channels.

Coverage that promotes calls for accountability for torture and other civil liberties violations then gets kicked around and, invariably, a few congressmen or senators end up pledging support for inquiries into "possible" torture or display intent to investigate "possible" crimes committed further (this usually happens when they appear on television). But, the coverage always ends up dissipating and the Obama Administration always seems to conclude that properly releasing all information and media related to the crimes is not worth doing;"it's better to move forward than look backward" is what White House officials claim.

A year and one month ago, the Obama Administration opted to "block the court-ordered release of photos showing U.S. troops abusing prisoners." The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a request for the release of the photos in April 2009 but, one month later, the Obama Administration determined the photos would "further inflame anti-American opinion" and put U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk....

The ACLU released a response to the Obama Administration's decision that was written by Executive Director Anthony Romero and stated, "The Obama administration's adoption of the stonewalling tactics and opaque policies of the Bush administration flies in the face of the president's stated desire to restore the rule of law, to revive our moral standing in the world and to lead a transparent government. This decision is particularly disturbing given the Justice Department's failure to initiate a criminal investigation of torture crimes under the Bush administration."

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Continues-to-Stonewa-by-Kevin-Gosztola-100610-659.html

[Autumn]

1. What a betrayal this is.

K/R

[abq e streeter]

2. I have begun to wonder more and more if the "Bill Hicks Theory" isn't real:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MRykTpw1RQ

[neverforget]

3. Gotta look forward, not the past, Forward only. Blinders on.

[amborin]

4. but no problem going after whistleblowers...

[Bluebear]

11. +

[chill_wind]

15. +100

[Bluebear]

17. +1000

[katandmoon]

5. K&R

[gratuitous]

6. Well, they're just crimes against humanity

Hard to see how anybody should get too torqued about that. Well, unless they're a bunch of terrorists or ungrateful civilians we've liberated in our glorious war on terror! Then our victims (or their survivors) deserved it.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. Too many Democrats would be found to implicated and signed off on the policies. CYA is the rule.

[Lurks Often]

14. And we have a correct answer

besides, no Executive Branch, regardless of party, is going to do something that sets a precedent that allows THEM to be prosecuted when the next administration comes to power.

[Bluebear]

16. There's that too

[ProgressiveVictory]

8. the more time goes on, I don't ever see it happening...

[Solly Mack]

9. Those crimes truly need to be prosecuted.

[slay]

10. It's a betrayal of not just those who voted for him, but all the American people

and a betrayal of justice. It's obvious now - at least to me - that Obama is sadly nothing more than a corporate puppet. :(

[pecwae]

12. Forget about it

and go shopping instead. Why worry about human rights when you can buy something made in China?

[VMI Dem]

13. Aren't there some posters that constantly talk about Clinton covering for Bush I?

Where are they? Besides justifying everything that Obama does?