Tuesday, May 12, 2009

TO INVESTIGATE OR NOT INVESTIGATE...THAT IS THE QUESTION

I don't mean to go all Shakespearean on everybody, but that's pretty much what the question of government prosecution of the very illegal use of torture has come to. President Obama has pretty much washed his hands of it. The Department of Justice seems to have put the whole thing on the shelf, and Congress doesn't look like it is moving very fast on it either.

There may be Democrats in Congress, along with a lot of Rethuglicans both in Congress and out, who could possibly be investigated for the approval of the use of torture. If there are, they need to be prosecuted right along with any and all members of the Bush administration and the Bush Department of Justice who had a hand in the approval of the use of torture.

I found this through Alter Net this morning. You may find this interesting.

Naomi Klein, Matt Taibbi, and Bill Maher on Investigating the Bush/Cheney Torture Program

An interesting video of Matt Taibbi, Reza Aslam, Naomi Klein, and Bill Maher discussing the pros and cons of investigating the Bush/Cheney torture regime on "Real Time." I won't lie, I'm disappointed (but not surprised) to see Maher so hesitant to seek justice for fear of political backlash. What do you think?

Watch it:


(Hat-tip to Isaac Fitzgerald at AlterNet )

6 comments:

themom said...

I never miss Bill Maher on Friday nights. There are times that I disagree with him and this was one of those times. I truly did not understand why he was shying away on this subject. His argument alone was not good enough for me. His New Rules were excellent though.

Patricia said...

I saw that on Bill Maher and I also have mixed feelings. I think that Maher and Aslan make a very good point and the shitstorm and the political damage that could ensue should not be underestimated by those of us who have dreamed of seeing the Bush cabal in Leavenworth. And I don't just mean political damage to the Democrats or to Obama. I mean to all the people who've been ignored or just plain screwed for most of the last thirty years. I don't know the answer, but I do know that prosecution of those high up in the Bush administration would need to be approached somewhat the way Bush should have approached invading Iraq - with extreme caution and a sharp awareness that unintended consequences are not only possible, but likely.

Grandpa Eddie said...

themom - The only way I get to see Maher is when I find videos from his program on line, I don't have HBO...can't afford the extra expense. I did see his "New Rules" that was done the night this ran, and I, too, love to watch them when I can.

I'm not sure what his problem was here, other than maybe he's worried that certain Dems would pay the price, too. But if there are any who need to fall, let them fall.

Grandpa Eddie said...

ZenYenta - You make a very valid point. But if nothing is done, and everything else before Congress along with Obama's agenda can still be taken care of, we as a nation shall suffer the repercussions from this for many years to come. I, for one, do not want this hanging over the heads of my grandchildren and great-grandchildren for years to come.

Patricia said...

I know you're right. That's why I have mixed feelings. I want to see this resolved, but I also want to see this be a nation with healthcare for all, fair taxation, diplomatic relations with other countries when possible, supportive of science and all the other things it hasn't been for too long. I think the world needs us to be a smarter nation than we've been, especially for the last 8 years. I don't know if we could get all that we need to done and still have prosecutions or not. I just think it's possible that we can't. Either way, I think the release of these memos in a drip, drip, drip sort of way is a good thing and who knows where that will lead. Maybe, eventually, to a place where we can resolve it all.

Grandpa Eddie said...

I do understand why you have mixed feelings ZenYenta, I have them, too. I worry about healthcare being pushed back, which we can not afford any longer. There are so many things, important things, that have been neglected for way to long and must be addressed now not later. Maybe, just maybe, with everything that is still coming out about the torture memos and approval of torture things will work out where this can be addressed, too.