Obama's statment on releasing the torture memos

[ProSense]

Posted here

Obama Explains Memo Release Decision

[rateyes]

1. President Obama, with all due respect, you have taken an oath

to fulfill ALL the duties of the office of POTUS. That, sir, includes prosecuting those in the previous administration who authorized the behavior described in the memos.

It's not about placing blame. It's about holding people accountable to the laws of the land. No one is above the law. At least, no one should be.

[Occam Bandage]

3. Prosecution of previous administrations for suspected wrongdoing is not

a duty contained in the oath of office. "Holding people accountable" is an option he has at his disposal--nothing more--and it is one that no President has ever exercised in regard to any of their predecessors.

[rateyes]

4. As I see it, the executive branch is the branch of government charged

with the enforcement of our laws. When a law is broken (especially a law that prohibits torture), it is the duty of law enforcement to seek justice for the victims. But, that's just me.

[Winterblues]

7. It is an Obligation that the USA has as a signatory to the Geneva Accords.

That makes it a matter of Law. He is in effect in violation of US Law.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. "Shit happens. Get over it."?

From the statement:

"This is a time for reflection, not retribution. I respect the strong views and emotions that these issues evoke. We have been through a dark and painful chapter in our history. But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past. Our national greatness is embedded in America's ability to right its course in concert with our core values, and to move forward with confidence. That is why we must resist the forces that divide us, and instead come together on behalf of our common future."

[No More Bushbots]

5. A political masterstroke

Obama releases the documents so others can put the case together to prosecute the war criminals.
And once this information it shown to the light of day, it should be equal to a swift kick in the teabag to the Bushyt Apologists.

[Luminous Animal]

6. Just how do you go about prosecuting "redacted"?

And who would do the prosecuting? The DOJ has already indicated that it won't.

[Matt Shapiro]

8. So it's all just a matter of philosophy, right?

Obama to the guilty:

Listen up war criminals! You can't do that torture stuff any more. The people who told you it was OK to do it and the people who actually told you to do it -- they were incorrect, and maybe even a little naughty. Now, we won't give your names out, but you be good from now on, at least while I'm in charge.

======================

By these standards, the Nazi camp guards who tortured and murdered the human beings in their charge should never have been prosecuted or punished. Neither should their bosses all the way up to Eichmann and Hitler.

After all, it's just a matter of philosophy. Their philosophy was wrong. Ours is right. A difference of opinion. We need to move on.

======================

President Obama -- By not prosecuting every one of these war criminals to the fullest extent of the law, from the lowly torturer to the buck-stops-here commander-in-chief, you have become complicit in their crimes, regardless of your change in course, and you almost insure that some future administration will do even worse, since their philosophy will say it's just fine and dandy.