Monday, July 13, 2009

It Is Getting Harder and Harder to Sweep Torture Under the Rug

Six months into Barack Obama's presidency, his Democratic allies are pushing for twin investigations into Bush-era torture and anti-terrorism policies.

Two senators including the head of the intelligence committee suggested Sunday that the prior administration broke the law by concealing a CIA counterterrorism program from Congress.

The assertion that Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the concealment came amid word that Attorney General Eric Holder is contemplating opening a criminal probe of possible CIA torture.

A move to appoint a criminal prosecutor is certain to stir partisan bickering that could prove a distraction to Obama's efforts to push ambitious health care and energy reform.

Obama has repeatedly expressed reluctance to probing alleged Bush-era abuses. He resisted an effort by congressional Democrats to establish a "truth commission," saying the nation should be "looking forward and not backwards."

Regarding the 8-year-old counterterrorism program, the Bush administration's failure to notify Congress "is a big problem, because the law is very clear," said Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

8 comments:

BAWDYSCOT said...

This is exactly the kind of program we should have used to catch Al Qaeda and bin Laden. too bad Bush and Cheney wanted to turn the whole Middle East into an inferno.

BAWDYSCOT said...

I should clarify, my program would have been out in the open, not secret, the better to psychologically get under the skin of Al Qaeda. These organizations always need new members(especially with suicide bombers)and to let Al Qaeda know we would try to infiltrate would make it harder and use more security energy to enlist new members.

Lou said...

I wonder how they plan to get around the memos that the top dems at the minimum knew all about the program? I think we have one little lady from SF who hopes this all will just go away. And as of yet, they still cannot define terrorism. Its like trying to define a personal foul in the NBA. A waste of time and money.

csm said...

Yet they still call personal fouls in the NBA - and punish those who commit them.

BAWDYSCOT said...

They call them if they aren't on the take(says a Suns fan).

csm said...

Sounds like a Suns fan holding a grudge! Next year the Cavs should have it with Shaq supporting LeBron. Anybody but the Lakers, please!

Anonymous said...

Lakers are the favorite with the celtics the possible successor. Shaq will never hold up in a full season.

The obvious thing about the referees. A foul to one is not a foul to another. We can't have such standards placed on our great men and woman who protect us. Is the new standard attempting to criminalize every president proceeding the new? Maybe our next president can prosecute Obama for rape of the constitution not to mention appointing Czars without approval of congress.

csm said...

Yes, anony, those 2 things are equivalent to torture he says with his teeth clenched and his eyes rolling back in his head