WikiLeaks docs raise questions of Obama policies

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER and PAISLEY DODDS

LONDON (AP) - President Barack Obama stepped into the White House pledging to end George W. Bush's gloves-off approach to interrogations and detention - but a flood of leaked documents suggests that some old habits were hard to break.

Field reports from the Iraq war published by WikiLeaks show that, despite Obama's public commitment to eschew torture, U.S. forces turned detainees over to Iraqi forces even after signs of abuse.

Documents also show that U.S. interrogators continued to question Iraqi detainees, some of whom were still recovering from injuries or whose wounds were still visible after being held by Iraqi security forces.

"We have not turned a blind eye," U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Monday, noting that one of the reasons why U.S. troops
were still in Iraq was to carry out human rights training with Iraqi security forces. "Our troops were obligated to report abuses to appropriate authorities and to follow up, and they did so in Iraq."

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20101025/D9J30QH00.html

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President Barack Obama speaks at a Get Out the Vote Rally for Minnesota's Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Mark Dayton, at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

[katandmoon]

1. Turning a blind eye to the war crimes of BushCo will forever taint Obama's administration

[Angry Dragon]

2. How can we expect other countries to respect human rights

when we do not bring our own war criminals to justice??

It is time to try the entire bush administration for war crimes today.

[jannyk]

3. Kick & Rec! (+1)

:mad:

[DJ13]

4. I firmly believe the candidates no longer matter

They just represent a new face on the same policies.

Oh we'll get better speeches, better promises, and the better man as the 'winner' when Obama wins again in 2012, but our system no longer allows any President to really do much to effect change in the policies already in place.

[kgnu_fan]

5. Yes this is the test of American democracy. Where do we stand?

[No Elephants]

9. Shhh. I'm trying to listen to what Mario Lopez is saying about Jennifer Anniston.

[stray cat]

6. Is it policy or individuals ie was Tillers murder Obama policy or a murderer?

[ShamelessHussy]

7. that is what war and occupation is all about, despite how sterile the M$M try to make it

gross :puke:

[scentopine]

8. The new democratic party -

Torture? Check.

CEO designed health insurance mandates with no cost control and legislated monopolies? Check.

Trillion dollar bailouts for billionaires? Check.

Off shoring? Check.

Drill, baby, drill? Check.

More spying, wire tapping, police state? Check.

Blind eye to torture, wall street fraud, mortgage disaster? Check.

Blind eye to Gulf oil disaster? Check.

Buff pictures of body surfer in Hawaii? Check.

War spending out pacing peak of Iraq war with record civilian casualties? Check.

Amnesty for Bush and Cheney, fawning adulation over Reagan and Bush (how nice of Obama to congratulate Bush on his Iraq victory). Check.

Neo-con/neo-lib privatization program for public schools where they might achieve the success as our Wall Street corporate citizens? Check.

Net neutrality neutered? Check.

Amazing. All this republican out reach and America is even more fucked up than ever. Unless you are a Wall Street CEO. Then, you are loving it.

Democrats. Are they afraid of being perceived as weak when they stand up for and help the exploited in this world fight the evil that is literally and systematically tearing up America into tiny pieces and selling it to Asia for pennies on the dollar?

I don't get it. Democrats hate liberals, republicans hate liberals. Why? It isn't our policies that are driving the country into a feral state of money grubbing criminals just out to screw your neighbor before he screws you. It's a crazy way to live - Geithner, Bernanke, Summers, Goldman Sachs - how did these weasels get so much power to take our wealth and distribute it to rich people? Why are so few democrats willing to fight for what is rightfully ours? Why do democrats reward torture and funnel more cash into wars and our police state? What is the democratic advantage?

I don't get it. Republicans and Democrats have blood on their hands. A reasonable argument could be made that republicans have more blood, but is that really the best we can do as a nation? We are unable to articulate and legislate fairness and the rule of law equitably and without a massive prejudice towards rich people?

The New Democrat. This is the best they can do. Their best efforts only make things worse because of their rigid and blind faith in "centrism" and the "free" market and profit incentives. They live in a fantasy world that believes the benevolence and kindness of corporations can solve the world's problems.

Jesus Christ, it makes me want to puke. All this centrist bullshit is just a way to hide the fact that centrists are just hard right republicans who don't like the tea party and they are every bit the neo-con as their hero Ronald Reagan.

Every opportunity to do the right thing on big issues that affect families and regular people, democratic leadership can't deliver.

How dare DCCC ask me for more cash at this juncture. Are they F'ing mentally challenged? THEY ARE JUST MAKING THINGS WORSE LIKE THE RIGHT WING BECAUSE THEY ARE THE RIGHT WING!

[The Northerner]

10. +1

[MX96391]

11. Most of the country is centerists

Deal with it. If a Democrat ignores the centerist vote, he/she is handing the election on a silver platter to a Tea Party member.