What makes you think he won't? (0.00 / 0)

Obama's already come out publicly against torture in his administration... what more do you want?

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

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by: lord_mike @ Tue Jan 20, 2009 at 18:25:28 PM CST

I don't know what (0.00 / 0)

He's going to do.  What "more" is clearly prosecutions.  Stopping torture is not enough.  It's important, but it doesn't fix the problem.  People were tortured openly by the United States Government as a formal matter of official policy, on orders of the President himself.  That isn't fixed by just not doing so anymore, since a future president could pick up where Bush left off.

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by: Daniel De Groot @ Tue Jan 20, 2009 at 18:43:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

we've been torturing -- & training others to do so -- for ages -- (0.00 / 0)

Teaching Torture: Congress Quietly Keeps School of the Americas Alive -- http://www.16beavergroup.org/m...

Isn't the only difference that Bush/Cheney were actually open about it, instead of lying to us and denying it?

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by: amberglow @ Tue Jan 20, 2009 at 22:27:22 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Perhaps you are correct (4.00 / 1)

Maybe the "only difference" was that Bush/Cheney were more open about using torture and other extreme measures, but let's make that an excuse of inaction. Instead, let's use that blaise approach as our toe-hold and get the US out of the torture business for good and for real.

I don't just mean pulling the shades, closing the door, and returning to the shadows. Mr. O must take a firm and decisive stand on these issues, that's why I'm so adamant that his administration look into the idea of prosecuting these crimes. Future administrations that might wish to emulate the Bush/Cheney disdain for the law must not be allowed to believe that being open about their crimes is OK; that these have some how become so integral to our everyday existence that they no longer have to make an effort to cover them up.

Obama and Biden are clearly bright enough to understand this argument. It has been mentioned here that Biden has written bills on the topic of law and torture. If they do not take direct, effective action in this regard, it for a lack of will, not knowledge.

"It sounds wrong...
     ...but its right."

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by: SpitBall @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 08:32:27 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Let's NOT make that an excuse for inaction (4.00 / 1)

that is.

"It sounds wrong...
     ...but its right."

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by: SpitBall @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 08:33:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

i think they all do believe it's integral, and that's why we've done it for decades -- (0.00 / 0)

and we won't even know whether they stop it for real or not.

Obama clearly lied to us just like others always have -- he knows we torture and have been doing so as official (but not publicized) policy ---  just like we do.

Plus, he's given himself wiggle room on this -- just like on many other things.

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by: amberglow @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 12:46:44 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm certainly not claiming that Obama has done well on this issue (0.00 / 0)

Indeed, if the practice of torture and oppression is as integral to the US foreign affairs as you have suggested, its not likely that one presidential administration could change that kind of culture all at once and by his second day in office.

I'll say again, that's why we need a serious look into these issues with regard to Bush/Cheney, but with the expressed goal of reforming the entire covert (or has it become overt?) operations that employ these corrosive techniques.  Are they even necessary?  The most I hope for from President O is that he push the issue to the fore and helps to shine some light into the darker corners of the Empire. I understand that he has other issues on the front burner.

"It sounds wrong...
     ...but its right."

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by: SpitBall @ Wed Jan 21, 2009 at 13:32:14 PM CST

[ Parent ]