Feith Calls for Prosecution of Any Crimes But Will Holder Answer?

In a true sign of the apocalypse, civil libertarians have something to agree on with Doug Feith (the former Bush Under Secretary of Defense for Policy) who is universally ridiculed for his role on some of the most disastrous policies of the Bush Administration. The Wall Street Journal ran an opinion editorial from Feith virtually daring the Obama Administration to investigate and prosecute any crimes related to the torture program. Obviously, Feith is widely viewed as a bit of a clown, but it is time for Holder to stop trying to find a way out and call the bluff of Cheney, Feith and others. He needs to appoint a special prosecutor to allow a neutral prosecutor to determine if crimes were committed.

Feith writes in the WSJ that “If President Barack Obama and the prosecutors see a crime to be prosecuted, they can act.” In the meantime, Cheney is out on the speaking and interview circuit proudly proclaiming his own involvement in the torture program This is becoming perfectly bizarre. Holder is making this country look like a complete fraud in his refusal to carry out our express obligations to investigate and prosecute such crimes. Just call if the Feith initiative and get on with it.

Since leaving office (with as many critics in the Administration and outside it), Feith has been at war with the world to try to rehabilitate his reputation. My favorite part of this column is his insistence that “I urged “[h]umane treatment for all detainees.” So when he was briefed on torture program and supported the policy, he wanted to be sure that while torturing them on the waterboard, we did so in a humane fashion.

For the column, click here.