We. Need. War crime. Trials. Period.

[ellennelle]

38. boy, i do hear ya

however, i'm sure you are aware of anthony romero's, head of the aclu, plea to obama to pardon bush and cheney. and he lays out a compelling case.

a pardon at least establishes that these are crimes, and he points out that already there are loud noises that torture is ok and the report is wrong (we all know where to find those voices). so there would continue to be a 'debate' with a trial, whereas the pardon would just put at least an official lid on all that.

ma trial would also just stir up that ‘debate’ and allow those who claim it’s ok to get that ‘balanced’ voice out there. most importantly, there is always - especially with the legal team bush and cheney could put together - the chance they could walk. legally and officially. i mean, hell; OJ walked. money talks, loud.

and, last but not least, the pardon puts bush and cheney in such a delicious (or some other less inappropriate term) bind. think about that; what are they gonna do? reject it? then the admin is legally obliged to prosecute, or turn them over to the world court, to which we don’t even subscribe, so we’re legally bound by treaty to prosecute them ourselves. plus, not sure as they could actually reject it, especially without those consequences. accept it silently? that’s even more, erm, delicious.

i kinda like that last one. the image of especially cheney finally gagged forever from ever piping up for an interview or opinion that does not also put this chapter of his life front and center. that is truly delicious. and if they do pipe up, esp. dick, he will look even more churlish and nasty than he already is, to be biting the hands that freed him.

yup; i do believe i’m all in with this pardon. and it may well inform my position on nixon’s pardon, as well. giving it, ford established that what that particular dick did was wrong, too.

not the ideal result, but cleverly best for now.

and i'm impressed with romero for putting it out there; now if obama ignores it, he's complicit. which of course he already sorta is, despite his call to end torture. sadly, extra-judicial killings are also against international law.