"BUSH Should Be Remembered: As PRESIDENT WHO EMBRACED TORTURE"-Eugene Robinson

[kpete]

"BUSH Should Be Remembered: As PRESIDENT WHO EMBRACED TORTURE"
A Torture Paper Trail

By Eugene Robinson
Tuesday, July 29, 2008; Page A17

............................

The whole thing would be laughable if it were not such a rank abomination. No government obeying the law needs a paper trail to absolve its interrogators of committing torture. Conversely, a government that produces such a paper trail has something monstrous to hide.

It is not difficult to avoid violating federal laws and international agreements that prohibit torture. Just don't torture people, period. The idea that there exists some acceptable middle ground -- a kind of "torture lite" -- is a hideous affront to this nation's honor and values. This, perhaps above all, is how George Bush should be remembered: as the president who embraced torture.

I wouldn't be surprised if, as he left office, Bush issued some sort of pardon clearing those who authorized or carried out "enhanced techniques" of interrogations from any jeopardy under U.S. law. International law is something else entirely, however, and I imagine that some of those involved in this sordid interlude might want to be careful in choosing their vacation spots. I'd avoid The Hague, for example.

.......................

A clear and urgent duty of the next president will be to investigate the Bush administration's torture policy and give Americans a full accounting of what was done in our name. It's astounding that we need some kind of truth commission in the United States of America, but we do. Only when we learn the full story of what happened will we be able to confidently promise, to ourselves and to a world that looks to this country for moral leadership: Never again.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/28/AR2008072802465.html

[malaise]

1. Bravo Eugene

To the Hague!!

[KansDem]

2. I think "George the Torturer" is a most-befitting moniker...(nt)

[gratuitous]

3. "Something monstrous"

You can't even begin to clean up a mess until you have some idea of how big it is and what's in it. And we have the barest shadowy outlines of what this gang has been doing in our name with our tax dollars. When the Democrats first took over Congress, one of the investigators commented that every tree they'd shaken had had something in it. But the days of seriously looking into this administration's wrongdoing seem to be long gone.

And next year, we'll be told that what's done is done, let's look forward to the future. And the criminals will skate away again, just like they did in the 1970s. And they'll come back again in 20 years, a little smarter in how to avoid culpability, and a little meaner at having been temporarily thwarted.

When are we going to have leaders willing to roll up their sleeves and muck out these Augean stables?

[mod mom]

4. Yes! We need a TRUTH COMMISSION in the US (but pls don't let Pelosi choose who sits on it!)

[mmonk]

5. Yes we do but first we must remove the supporters of bush policies

from their positions of creating any such investigation.

[Supersedeas]

6. Eugene Robinson....we salute you, sir.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Indeed. Step 1) Remove every paper shredder under executive control....

2) Remove every person appointed by bush, replace with qualified, well-meaning people.
3) Investigate til the cows come home, and then investigate after dinner.


EDIT: Fleshed things out just a bit.

[jtrockville]

8. Submit your questions for the 1pm Q&A (LINK)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/07/25/DI2008072502028.html

Here's what I submitted:

Thank you for the poignant op-ed Mr. Robinson.

Why do we have to wait until the next administration is ushered in? Aren't there remedies available now, that would put an immediate end to our policy of torture and see that those who violated federal law and international agreements are prosecuted?