So the Obama administration is moving forward with a plan to prosecute some CIA agents who went beyond the guidelines the Bush administration authorized for extreme interrogations. This is good news.
But will the torture policymakers be exempt from the law?
If so, maybe the pimp media will bring West Virginia’s Lynndie England, the star of the first round of Abu Ghraib court martials, back for an encore.
Many of the top officials in the Justice Department and the White House knowingly conspired to violate federal laws and the Geneva Convention. If the Justice Department refuses to look beyond the actual enforcers, then today’s apparent breakthrough will be simply another variation of a coverup.
This is NOT good news. It is worse than no prosecutions at all. First, it establishes–once again–that only the small fry will be punished, while the policymakers who launched the whole wicked business will get off scott free. Second, by deciding to prosecute only those who went beyond the guidelines as laid out in the memos, Holder establishes once and for all that those memos constitute American law and precedent on torture–that is, we enshrine in precedent our refusal to recognize international law on torture OR current federal law against torture.
Good points.
On the other hand, any prosecutions increase the possibility that the political masterminds will lose control of the narrative of this scandal. A few well-timed leaks… the “discovery” of the torture videotapes (supposedly destroyed)…
This scandal could still blow wide open.
Jim,
I understand where you are coming from, but I agree with Dennis on this. The political establishment will work overtime to protect its own and control the narrative – undoubtedly with help from the establishment media. Counting on "A few well-timed leaks…" is fine, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I have no doubt – in my own opinion – that this "investigation" will amount to nothing more than a continuation of the policy of scapegoating underlings and protecting the policymakers, while also perpetuating the legal precedent that the president has unlimited power to break the law as he sees fit.
I hope the people I care about that are still so enthralled with Obama stand up and take notice at this moral abomination of a response to government abuse.
Matt,
I didn't say I expected the scandal to blow wide open – only that it could.
The title of the blog, "Torturous Odds for Justice" perhaps better captures the likelihood of an honest result.
Based on what I have read and learned since I posted the blog initially, I am less optimistic…
I don't think there's any question about this being a cover up. If they had a thorough investigation, one in which the prosecutors followed the evidence wherever it led them, there wouldd be indictments of Democrats as well as the thugs from the Bush administration. Imagine the fun of seeing the likes of Pelosi and Reid testifying on national television!
All this blather from Obama (do I repeat myself?) about "Looking forward, not back" is simply ridiculous. Every crime ever committed requires looking back. Are Americans really buying this load of crap? Could they really be this gullible? Or are they simply not interested? Either way, it does not bode well for our future.
I think that it is a good idea or else there might be CIA agents in the future that may go beyond the guidelines for extreme interrogations.
If the President and Vice President broke the law the United States Congress had the power to impeach them. They did not. The Democrats were in control of Congress after the 2006 elections. Let's not kid ourselves. They knew what was going on. So if you are going to call for the prosecution of Bush and Cheney you should also be calling for the prosecution of all the Congressional leaders ( Pelosi etc) who did not have Bush impeached. Personally, I don't know if Bush violated the law or not, there needs to be more of an investigation. But if he did, Congress was an acomplice before, during and after the fact but yet the liberals ONLY seem to want to blame Bush for everything.
PS: I don't believe in torture but how come liberals go totally balistic if an Islmo-terrrorist does not get a full 8 hours of restful sleep and does not get to pray five times a day? But when the Muslim Nazis sentence a 17 yo pregnant girl to get 180 lashes for premarital sex I don't ever hear such an outcry. Why the hell not?