Obama Team Signals No War Crimes Prosecution

[Phred42]

Sorry kids - it's going to be business as usual. This is your FIRST clue.

Obama Team Signals No War Crimes Prosecution
http://www.truthout.org/111808J

Lara Jakes Jordan, The Associated Press: "Barack Obama's incoming administration is unlikely to bring criminal charges against government officials who authorized or engaged in harsh interrogations of suspected terrorists during the George W. Bush presidency. Obama, who has criticized the use of torture, is being urged by some constitutional scholars and human rights groups to investigate possible war crimes by the Bush administration. Two Obama advisers said there's little - if any - chance that the incoming president's Justice Department will go after anyone involved in authorizing or carrying out interrogations that provoked worldwide outrage."

[msongs]

1. the outsiders become the new insiders - wink wink nt

[still_one]

2. Why would I believe an anonymous source from the AP, but more important, if

the Obama administration indicated that they were going to prosecute those who committed torture, don't you believe that bush would immediately grant those people blanket pardons?

Wait and see what happens after he is elected rather then what a media who has been wrong for over a decade tell us

[Phred42]

4. Ok - We'll see - but I'm not holding my breath

Also - what's the difference if Bush Pardons them? that is no reason NOT to do the right thing and send the signal. This sounds like Reid wussing out on doing the right thing because the big bad republicans MIGHT Filibuster and Bush might veto. Do the rightthing and LET them go on record.

[still_one]

25. I agree it will probably not proceed after he takes office. As far as if bush

pardon's them. If that happened, no prosecuter would bring charges against them because there would be no point

However, Congress could investigate, and expose, but I doubt that would happen either

[drm604]

3. Is it possible that they're just saying this right now?

If they say that they are likely to prosecute then the current administration may do something to stop it, possibly a blanket pardon.

If they're planning to prosecute, it might not be wise to say so right now.

[Ghost in the Machine]

13. That's what people thought about Nancy "off the table" Pelosi, too...

"oh, it's just a smoke screen" or "she doesn't want to tip her hand" or some other bullshit fantasy...

When people start paying some fucking attention, and actually start caring about issues, they'll elect someone like Dennis Kucinich, who promised to prosecute the Bush/Cheney Gang to the fullest extent of the law....

Until then, you're just gonna have the same "good ole boy" system over and over... nothing changes except the names of the "good ole boys"...

If you want to change congress, you've got to change congressmen...

Peace,

Ghost

[drm604]

20. Sure.

That's what Pelosi did, therefore logically it must follow that that's what Obama will do. Sorry, but I don't follow your logic.

I don't know what he's going to do and it may very well be that he does not intend to push for prosecutions, but it is at least a possibility that he doesn't want to tip his hand.

Suppose he really is considering prosecutions. Do you believe that he would tip his hand now?

[Ghost in the Machine]

22. No, that's not the logic in it at all...

After a while though, you learn not to get your hopes up too high, just to be crashed into the rocks again.... it's more like expecting the worst while hoping for the best... I'll be glad if he *does* prosecute them, but I won't be let down or shocked if he *doesn't*..

Is that a little clearer?

[EFerrari]

5. Fyi, Lara Jakes Jordan was one of the two worst AP offenders

in catapulting the FBI propaganda about Bruce Ivins.

This report may well be right but still, fyi.

[spanone]

6. i suggest the world courts step in.

[NeedleCast]

11. and do what?

[spanone]

15. war crimes are international....i suggest they prosecute

[NeedleCast]

18. I said in another thread

That this sort of thing just isn't going to happen. The US is a powerful country and I've seen no evidence that international courts will take on powerful countries. If we're rounding up politicians who should be put on trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against human rights, etc. I've got a laundry list of powerful countries where we can start. China, North Korea, Russia...

[RedLetterRev]

7. That's not to say what a Progressive Congress

might up and do. At least Team O didn't say they'd stand in the way of it, either. I'm willing to wait and see what really happens.

[Phred42]

9. What Progressive Congress?

Let's not forget that a large percentage of the Dems in both houses are DLC and Blue Dogs.

They AIN'T Progressive

[Phred42]

10. dupe

[ben_meyers]

12. Now that was funny!!

I'm going with the old "you owe me a new keyboard, I just spit my coffee all over" line.

[RedLetterRev]

19. Exactly

Moi, bitter much? :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. That was hysterical

the empire has its logic... and as long as we think as empire what progressive congress?

[ben_meyers]

8. I'll wait for a reliable source on this one

if we don't get confirmation in 24 business hours, write it off as mindless speculation.

[onenote]

14. and in other shocking news, the sun rises in the east

anyone who thought that the new administration was going to pursue war crimes prosecutions against the previous administration was fooling themselves big time.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. two words, IRAN CONTRA, that is your clue

and why this country will go down that road again and again and again and again until it faces to what it has done

[Gin]

21. I thought I read Bush had already included a pardon of sorts in

legislation stating that all involved in torture would not be charged...or something like that....if this is true..they couldn't prosecute them.

[David Ippolito]

23. If true... it's disgraceful... and typical.

Just one more thing to make me feel disheartened about the country I thought was possible when I was much younger.

[leftofthedial]

24. his one term will be the kumbaya era.

So far, his administration looks to be substantially to the right of Clinton's. He seems to be continuing the new "democrat" tradition of abandoning the left and of turning a blind eye to Republican crimes.

Go along. Get along. Don't make more waves than he already did by being half black.


Change? Check. Now let's get back to the business of business.

[cobalt1999]

26. Of course there won't be any prosecutions.

What fool seriously thought there would be?