As many of us expected, President Obama’s decision to block any investigation or prosecution of war crimes has led Republicans to rehabilitate George Bush’s legacy. The latest claim came from former Vice President Dick Cheney who previously boasted about the torture program in public — unconcerned about any prosecution from Attorney General Eric Holder. Now, Cheney is boasting that Obama has “learned from experience” that some of the Bush administration’s decisions on terrorism issues.
Cheney stated “I think he’s learned that what we did was far more appropriate than he ever gave us credit for while he was a candidate. So I think he’s learned from experience. And part of that experience was the Democrats having a terrible showing last election.” He added “I think he’s learned that he’s not going to be able to close Guantanamo . . . That it’s — if you didn’t have it, you’d have to create one like that. You’ve got to have some place to put terrorists who are combatants who are bound and determined to try to kill Americans.”
Obama opened himself up to his unwanted alliance when he decided to protect Bush officials from prosecution despite the obligation of his Administration under existing treaties to investigate and prosecute acts of torture. Just last week, a senior former Justice official denounced the Administration for its complicity and said that it would leave a lasting stain on the country.
Cheney also called Obama a one-term president. If so, Obama has earned both Cheney recommendation and his loss of a second term. As promising the Senate that he would not continue his political conduct from the Clinton years at Justice, Holder proceeded to make the ultimate political act by blocking prosecutions after Obama promised that CIA officials would never be prosecuted for the alleged war crimes. It was the triumph of politics over principle — even war crimes principles were not enough to risk alienating the right. Politics should not have been part of the equation, but it also proved to be a remarkably illogical choice since the right never warmed to Obama despite a series of compromises from the White House. The result is that Obama is both unpopular and unprincipled in this area.
Source: The Hill
Jonathan Turley
S.M.
First, let’s take a practical look at your argument. We should elect someone who prosecutes wars of torture, engages in torture, feels he has the right to kill anyone, including American citizens on his own say so, will imprison the innocent indefinitely, will engage in financial corruption, police state actions and allow environmental degradation–just a few items on the longer list.
O.K., so we accept that Obama can do these things because at least he’s not Sarah Palin. What happens to all these powers Obama and his supporters have bestowed on him when they pass on to a Republican? Because unless Obama is president for life, these powers will pass onto a Republican eventually. That is the whole point of people accepting them in Bush, they got passed onto Obama. And his powers will be passed onto another person. So, even if you think these things are O.K. because Obama is doing them, how do you get rid of them under a “bad” president?
The answer would likely be, liberals should oppose them under a “bad” president. But my question is, why shouldn’t liberals be opposing these things right now? They are all illegal and immoral actions. There will always be someone willing to be even more immoral and commit greater illegalities. Where is your limit? Obama is committing war and financial crimes that are destroying our law, the entire social fabric, the people of this and other nations. Has it come to, vote for Sam Berkowitz, he’s not Ted Bundy? That is an argument that doesn’t really make sense.
These powers do not belong to any president under our system of govt. We must have the courage and principles to tell any person who tries to grab them, no, this isn’t our govt. and you may not do that.
Smom,
“Is not some progress better than electing Sarah Palin?”
The illusion of progress is not actual progress. Obama signaled he was in bed with the fascist torturers when he said there would be no prosecutions and cemented the deal when he claimed he had the right to assassinate American citizens without due process. Bush may have been an unconstitutional criminal puppet, but Obama is a willing and advancing accomplice.
And Palin is, as a practical matter, unelectable. She serves her role as shit disturber and “boogey man”, but she’s far too polarizing to be the first female President. Most people know she’s stupid on top it all, you betcha! Although, I’ll have to say, being stupid didn’t stop Bush from being appointed President or re-elected by a war fearful populace intentionally blinding themselves to the crimes he was committing (aided by propaganda naturally).
Elaine,
Yes, I did. Sorry for my misspelling. I’m glad you caught it!
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/index.html Glen Greenwald says today that to say there is no difference between the Obama administration and Bush Cheney is an “overstatement”. Is not some progress better than electing Sarah Palin?
Jill,
Did you mean Bruce Fein?
Fascism is as fascism does.
S.M.
There is no reason to put quotes around principled conservatives. Bruce Fine called for the impeachment of George Bush and calls for his prosecution right now. There was an entire group of Republicans who called for Bush’s impeachment. It is a grave error to dismiss people who are conservative, just as it is a grave error to lionize those who try to pass themselves off as “liberals”. Here is a group of liberals who are trying to pull things back into the realm of justice. It can’t hurt to give it a look.
“While Washington pundits are talking up a new civility, many progressives are bracing for the old servility — a bipartisanship that is servile to a corporate elite that is unquenchably greedy and more powerful than ever.
But this is not a time for despair. It’s a time for new activism…”
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/01/18-0
Swarthmore mom – So they want to go with “All of the above”?
It seems rather hopeless when even Kucinich is about to be re-districted out of office by the republicans. There is not too much of the left around after the last election. I guess the “principled” conservatives will have to carry the water. I am waiting for them too speak up. Lugar did speak up on gun control yesterday. It probably means he is not running for office again.
Jill,
“The real worry is that our population is tolerating war and financial criminals who are in power. It used to be that principled conservatives and liberals would speak out against such things, (although often for different reasons). Now there is only a small group of people willing to say wars of empire, torture, financial fraud etc. are wrong and will not be tolerated.”
That is the sad truth.
Tootie,
I really don’t understand your definition of socialism. I think the fear of socialism in America is right wing propaganda. The US is a corporate totalitarian state. As far as I can tell, the world has never seen either a functioning socialist or capitalist state. I think there’s little use in worrying about either.
The real worry is that our population is tolerating war and financial criminals who are in power. It used to be that principled conservatives and liberals would speak out against such things, (although often for different reasons). Now there is only a small group of people willing to say wars of empire, torture, financial fraud etc. are wrong and will not be tolerated. Instead, people are excited to see “their” side get elected. that is, people are excited to see their side commit torture, endless war, financial/environmental ruin, etc. They’re proud contributors of time, energy and money to such people’s endeavors. That’s a real problem–accepting and promoting what should never be acceptable in any way.
Jill:
You wrote: “What has made our populace accept such wrong doing in its “leadership”? ”
You don’t know?
The answer is: The government schools run mostly by the Marxist Democrats who were educated in colleges of education by radical leftists.
Marxism and leftism is wrong doing writ large and when they get the chance (by force of law and compulsory education) to brainwash tens of millions of school children for a generation or two you end up with people apt to think wrong doing is acceptable.
Don’t blame God either, he was suspended from school a long time ago. Just about the same the time the Marxists dug their heels into public education.
What remains there is the all powerful war-god: THE STATE.
And, as Newsweek recently reported, that state is Socialist. (Marxism).
“We are all socialists now”. (Newsweek Feb. 7, 2009)
Those bright-faced criminally-minded folks who are apt to murder people by the tens of millions and teach school children their corrupt ways in order to get away with it.
Obama has to do this because HE is guilty of the same crimes.
While because of Bill Clinton and Madeleine Albright 500,000 Iraqi children starved to death.
And, somewhat in the words of a founding father (what is Benjamin Franklin?), they will have to hang together if Cheney is hung separately. Of course, the founders were the good guys and Cheney, Obama, Clinton, and Albright are the bad guys. (And I think they have begun to understand this, so watch out, that makes them even more dangerous as they try to save themselves from justice).
Okay. I’m not saying they should be hung, and certainly they shouldn’t be hung by Sarah Palin. Does everyone understand this?
Anyway, that is what this is all about. And that is why Democratic supporters of Obama are so perplexed and confused. They don’t understand that their guys are just as bad as the GOPers.
This is also about the power of the Council on Foreign Relations (it really runs the country and includes all the major media, all the US Secretaries of State, and the CIA). Biden, Cheney, and Obama are CFR members. At least I’m sure about Biden and Cheney.
All these despots are buddies. And that is why they are protecting each other.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts281.html
First off there is some propaganda by Cheney going on here. Obama agreed to abstain from prosecuting torturers in the Bush administration before he was even elected. Further, Obama didn’t learn anything, he has always on board with The Big Dick on using torture, keeping Gitmo open, extraordinary renditions, the police state etc. So Dick is spinning here, unsurprisingly. Many right wing torture and police state icons have come out fully in support of Obama, as well they should–he’s their man.
So the question arises as to why citizens accept the lack of the rule of law in the ruling elite? This strikes me as the hurdle our nation must jump, the truth we must face. These are people who did and continue to wage brutal wars of empire which still include torture, not only of one man, but of many– women, children and men. These are people who have brought down our economy and continue to bring it down through fraud. What has made our populace accept such wrong doing in its “leadership”? Why should anyone think of reelecting a man who has committed war crimes and undermines the very foundation of our society, the rule of law and justice? That is a mystery to me but that is what must be faced because this injustice would not exist if enough people did not continue to tolerate it.
It is my hope that the banking revelations from Wikileaks will initiate a call for justice.
frank: I hear Rick Perry is polling nationally.
Actually Obama is eminently electable in 12, just look at the laundry list of crazy, incompetent and stunted on the other side. The next time we get a full-bore authoritarian like W he or she will have more case history encouraging even worse abuses.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/47731.html Obama is surging in the polls. He seems quite electable at this point in time. I think he has done some good things but not in this area. Glen Greenwald is currently mentioning the torture of one individual by the Obama administration which of course is one too many. Bush and Cheney tortured thousands.
“The result is that Obama is both unpopular and unprincipled in this area.”
***************
In a final “un” irony, it may make Obama unelectable in 2012. When you lie down with dogs ….
Cousin Barack and cousin Dick have to stick together, after all blood is thicker than water.
If Obama does serve a second term it may just prove that Dick is really just an OBAMA LITE.
How sad it is that the robot has a point.