The decision to criminalize and potentially prosecute Bush administration officials is a unique political witch hunt, heretofore never attempted by any party or administration. By raising the issue of the Democrats’ involvement and lack of objection to the enhanced interrogation policies, Republicans are making clear just how partisan an affair this is. They are also making clear how lacking in merit is the underlying premise of the accusers that, of course, these methods had to be torture because everyone would have concluded that their use “shocked the conscience.” Well, except for those lawmakers who attended some 40 briefings.As usual, netroots leftists are still playing up "torture" as if the Democrats are not implicated in EIT. See Eric Martin, "Used to be One of the Rotten Ones," via Memeorandum.
But check Fox News as well, "House Majority Leader: Congressional Hearings Should Explore Pelosi's Interrogation Briefing":
While Democrats want the hearings to focus on what they call torture, Republicans have tried to turn the issue to their advantage by complaining that Pelosi and other Democrats knew of the tactics but didn't protest. Pelosi was briefed in 2002 while on the House Intelligence Committee.
Its a stinking onion
ReplyDeleteLets see if Holder has the guts,integrity, honor to peel it.
Its become the bar by which the Justice Dept. is to be judged....still corrupt or ready for reform?
As a non PC type....I know you cant call Torture...."enhanced interrogation" and make it legal any more than you can call abortion .. ..."pro-choice" and not call it murder.
Let's have a full accounting, and prosecute those who are guilty of crimes, if any, no matter what party they hail from.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'm not so worried about congressional leadership. Whoever knew what when--while politically interesting, perhaps--it is my understanding that they had to be informed, but had no power to start, stop, change, or disclose whatever the executive branch chose to do. Republican or Democrat, they committed no crime, and at best face only political implications for their actions or non-actions.
I don't know that anyone committed crimes, but I would like the whole mess investigated and to have the findings disclosed, and let the political and legal chips fall in whatever beds the players made for themselves. The American people deserve a full accounting about the deeds and misdeeds of all players.
War is hell.
ReplyDeleteThe people who wage it against innocent people, are demons.
Those who have to counter it, cannot act like kindergarten teachers. Should they behave better than the evil ones, of course.
But we need the CIA, and we need for them to do what it takes to get information to prevent more atrocities.
The problems occur when politics get in the way.
Pelosi should just fess up she knew that there would be enhanced interrogations, and then this whole thing should be left alone.
We don't need to make more division in this country over what was done to protect it's citizens. Move ahead, there are plenty of pressing matter now to deal with. Get over the hatred of George Bush!
Even though I agree with you on some points REPSAC3 it is important what the Congressional leaderships does and how it uses the power inherent in those offices. And they do have the power, in fact the responsibility, to challenge what any President or administration does. It is why we have three branches of government.
ReplyDeleteNone of the three branches are supposed to be above the other.
The sad part here is that you start out in the right direction and then start providing excuses for a Congressional leadership that should be prosecuted for malingering, corruption and doing everything except representing their constituencies.
Unfortunately you are never going to see a full accounting of anything because far too many people in power have far too much to lose.
Why do you suppose they spend so much time playing us off against each other? Because if we are so busy beating each other around the head and shoulders then we cannot see the real problem which exist in primarily in Washington D.C. As long as they can play us for suckers they win and we loss a little liberty and freedom each day.
pelosi and the democrats are craven political operators. they will only carry the investigation as far as public sentiment will support them in it. republicans are smart to try to turn the issue to their advantage by bringing democrat foreknowledge into it.
ReplyDeletethere are no ethics or morality in party politics.
i can see where people genuinely opposed to torture might forgive the dems' wrongs if it means they get some sort of cathartic spectacle out of 'holding people accountable.'
but it is only spectacle. torture isn't going anywhere as an instrument of state power. though it may end up getting pushed back into the shadows so folks can go back to not seeing or thinking about it again.
The Dems are politicizing this issue in order to "get" the Bush administration. We are all less safe because of it.
ReplyDelete