Will Bush, Cheney and Their Criminal Cronies Face Justice? Maybe

[marmar]

from AlterNet's PEEK:



Will Bush, Cheney and Their Criminal Cronies Face Justice? Maybe

Posted by Howie Klein, Down With Tyranny! at 7:38 AM on April 10, 2008.

Top officials approved torture methods.



A week or so ago we noted Andrew Sullivan's prediction that Bush would one day face a war crimes tribunal. If anyone I know were in charge, he certainly would. But, as we stated then, political realities in the U.S. make it just plain wishful thinking. Still... last night ABC News ran with a story that certainly points precisely towards a trip to the Hague. Short version: the Regime's top operatives-- Cheney, Condoleeza Rice, Rumsfeld, Tenet, John Ashcroft, Colin Powell-- sat around the White House discussing and approving clearly illegal torture specifics.

In interview with ABC's Charles Gibson last year, Tenet said: "It was authorized. It was legal, according to the Attorney General of the United States."

But this is the first time sources have disclosed that a handful of the most senior advisers in the White House explicitly approved the details of the program. According to multiple sources, it was members of the Principals Committee that not only discussed specific plans and specific interrogation methods, but approved them.

...According to a top official, Ashcroft asked aloud after one meeting: "Why are we talking about this in the White House? History will not judge this kindly."

I doubt they care about speculation that "history" may judge them badly. Like the pope, history has no regiments. Some, on the other hand, think a Justice Department, cleared of the political hacks who have dragged it into overall complicity, will be duty-bound to look into the patterns of criminality and follow the leads wherever they go. Others, on the far right, point out that the Bush Regime have erected legalistic barriers to protect itself. I'm an optimist by nature... but only to a point. And I'm afraid History's judgment is the most satisfaction anyone will ever get out of this, the most disgraceful departure from constitutional rule and honor in the life of our nation.


http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/81961/

[liberal N proud]

1. History will not judge them kindly

As time unravels, more will be learned about the secret dealing within the bu$h regime and the crimes they maliciously perpetrated on the Country and the World.

[rudy23]

3. History will smile on them--they will be writing the history books.

Neil Bush has already acquired textbook companies. The same duty bound soldiers that staff FOX News and right wing radio will be writing the history books, while our kids pull links from DU archives to prove them wrong.

[Wizard777]

2. They can be found not guilty and still be sent to jail.

[PoiBoy]

4. Thom Hartmann is talking about this right now...

...and says he'll continue this subject after the break...


http://www.620kpoj.com/pages/listenlive.html

[DavidDvorkin]

5. They will never be punished in any way

At the most, some low-level types may suffer for this evil, but the people at the top never will.

[old guy]

9. Sadly, you are correct.

[TooBigaTent]

6. Not a chance of justice prevailing. Neither of the top Dems remaining has said

ANYTHING about holding the criminals accountable, and that is why they STILL have to earn my support.

Democrats historically do not have the courage or vision to take on the powerful when crimes are committed, for a variety of reasons. Even back in Dick Nixon's era, the Dems said that IF they had won the '72 election, there would have been no Watergate investigation. Today's Democrats are even more timid and/or compromised by their complicity.

Live and let (them) live (to rise again) is their mantra.

[Solly Mack]

7. History won't be kind to a country ( or its people ) that allows war criminals to go free either.

That said...

Unless history gets to write "they were all convicted and died in prison", it won't matter.

I don't get any satisfaction from the idea that history will one day write "he was the worst ever" or even "they were never charged for their war crimes"....because if that's all history gets to write, it means the Bush admin. got away with their war crimes...and that shouldn't bring anyone satisfaction.

[napi21]

8. Thom Hartman is talking about this now on his show.

I think we all knew something like this happened, we just didn't know the details and all the players for sure.