Did the President do the right thing in promising there would be no torture prosecutions whatsoever?

[JFN1]

Poll question: Did the President do the right thing in promising there would be no torture prosecutions whatsoever?

I know Mr. Obama didn't say this himself - Mr. Emanuel did. But it amounts to the same thing, as Mr. Obama has not refuted it. So what do you think - was it the right thing to do, to let the torturers, and the architects of torture, completely off the hook?

[spanone]

1. i didn't hear anyone say there would be no prosecutions 'whatsoever'.

[JFN1]

4. I have a flair for the dramatic

but it amounts to a truth, nonetheless. If you let some of them off, then to prosecute any of them (presumably at random, since the torturers themselves and those who ordered it have been given amnesty) would violate the equal protection clause of the Constitution. So who would they prosecute? And how could they do so fairly?

[roguevalley]

5. I don't believe the executive has the right to say boo about

prosecutions. that is the domain of the judiciary.

[Tesha]

11. That's not at all true.

Prosecutions arise (or not) in the Executive Branch.

Obama's blowing this one very badly.

Tesha

[polichick]

2. Maybe they're purposely being unclear - to try to gauge public support for prosecution...

I think the best we can do now is write to our Congressional reps and to the White House.

[glinda]

3. I don't think we have all the information to really know what will happen or why

it is happening in the order it is. I reserve judgement at this time.

[AtomicKitten]

6. You mean hypothetically, right?

[MarjorieG]

7. Possible to stop the 24/7 surmising and juging this, and go to health care strategy?

[No More Bushbots]

8. We are talking about people that have the ability to leave the country at anytime

Of course, if you planned on prosecuting someone who would be a flight risk, you would broadcast it to the world.

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Where's "OH HELL NO!" when you need it?

[Yavapai]

10. Bet that if DICK Nixon had spent about 10 years in club fed,

people like G W Bush would have been a little more moderate in his actions.

[rock]

12. Torture is simply not debatable n/t