"Most of his supporters were hoping that he would be much more open in the revelation of what we've done in the past," said the former president, although he added that he still respects Obama's judgment on the issue: "I don't agree with him, but I certainly don't criticize him for making that decision.""What I would like to see is a complete examination of what did happen, the identification of any perpetrators of crimes against our own laws or against international law," he told Brown. "And then after all that's done, decide whether or not there should be any prosecutions."
How does that not seem reasonable?
Carter is only stating on the record what the majority of Americans want to see happen.
There is no way around it, we simply must hold those who damaged the credibility of our country, and trashed its values, accountable for their crimes. And if that includes Dick Cheney and the whole damn Bush administration then so be it.
Justice must be served.
No doubt the Germans at the end of World War II would have much preferred that the photos of the concentration camp victims never be seen, that their stories not be recorded. This investigation is something we owe to our victims, so that none may in future claim their suffering never happened. It's something we owe our future generations, so that they may see our failings as a cautionary tale. And we owe it to ourselves, so that we may finally abandon this dangerous myth of American exceptionalism.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama refers to and addresses in his speeches numerous historical references. He has talked on many occasions of his readings of history and how he has learned from it.
ReplyDeleteThis issue too requires investigation and actions required whether or not charges stem from it so same may be documented and historical reflection be available in order that it too can be referenced in later administrations as a potential learning tool.
It also requires investigation in order that the U.S. can be seen in the eyes of the world that we are credible in dealing with our own as we have demanded others to do.
That old saying of 'What's good for the goose, is good for the gander'. We cannot be known as having double standards -- them and us. Demand of them but not of ourselves.
I agree with President Carter. To allow individuals from the previous administration to walk free with no accountability for their actions and crimes against humanity goes against the Rule of Law. To do nothing would be the same as condoning such behavior. As a proud American, I want my name cleared of any wrongdoing. I did not vote for torture.
ReplyDeleteCarter was affected by Iran contra. If H.W. Bush hadn't brokered the deal with the Iranians to hold the U.S. hostages until after the election, Carter might have been elected to a second term. As part of the deal we sold the Iranians weapons. Clinton failed to prosecute these crimes and it resulted in a bush buffoon being acting president of the U.S. for 8 years.
ReplyDeleteRead Cheny's admission in Huffpo that there NEVER WAS a link between 9/11 and Iraq and weep:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/02/cheney-there-was-never-an_n_210145.html
(I cannot cut/paste onto this blog today - what's going on?)
Cheney has now admitted there was no evidence between Iraq and 9/11. That's blood on the hands on the previous administration for the thousands of soldiers and citizens of Iraq that died. The soldiers for doing their job under false pretenses. The citizens because that was their home. They should not walk free from this from Bush to Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice... There is no free pass from an investigation now and President Obama best realize this. When will government learn that we cannot force our views and the democratic process on everyone. It's like being the bully in the playground. Not acceptible.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I have learned about Barack Obama so far is that he always has a plan, and I think he is actually handling this very intelligently - I suspect President Carter is a part of that plan as well.
ReplyDeleteHe could have released the photos, and it would have been a short news story and then it would have gone away, like many news stories do these days.
Doing it this way, he achieves a couple of things -
- he makes people wonder what is in these images that they need to be hidden
- he makes people in the media, and bloggers, and voices in general start to call out for these images to be released.
That means when they are released (and they will be, I have no doubt about it) it will be a *much* bigger story and might lead to where I think Obama would like it to go - to prosecutions. But he really needs people on *both* sides calling out for the release of these images because when they are released and they turn out to be just as bad if not worse than the stories in the media have advised, people on both sides will then be calling loudly for legal action to be taken.
He cannot really afford for it to look partisan, like the democrats attacking the republicans. What he needs is for people to look at it as "this happened and it was wrong, regardless of who did it" - and I believe he will get there.
People just need to have a little more faith that there is a bigger plan here - at the same time we need to get on board with calling out for the images to be released as you have done here, but we need to do it as non-politically as possible - it needs to be a about the images and not about politics.
President Obama is one smart cookie and he knows what he is doing.
http://www.vimeo.com/4938277
ReplyDeleteThe above is a link to the Hatcher Pass video that Dennis Zaki recorded. I had no trouble cuting and pasting it using Internet Explorer so I am not sure why others are having trouble.
For some reason none of the problems reported by my visitors have occurred for me in any of the three browsers that I use regularly.
However if any of you are looking for increased speed and fewer glitches I would heartily suggest Google Chrome which is my broweser of choice right now.
Have you read the article by a former interrogator?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/28/AR2008112802242_pf.html
Very, very enlightening.
I never have had any problems with cutting/pasting - today is the first time. (BTW: I use Firefox)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure where you have gotten your facts, but you are just a little off on all counts. So is Pres. Carter and I love him dearly. Here is what Pres. Obama stated in his speech the day he spoke about Guantanamo and keeping us safe.
ReplyDeleteI have opposed the creation of such a Commission because I believe that our existing democratic institutions are strong enough to deliver accountability. The Congress can review abuses of our values, and there are ongoing inquiries by the Congress into matters like enhanced interrogation techniques. The Department of Justice and our courts can work through and punish any violations of our laws.I have added the emphasis I wanted to make sure you saw. He states very clearly that as far as he is concerned, Congress can do any investigations and our normal courts can do any trials we may need. We don't need special investigations, because we don't need the expense.
As far as you saying the "Majority of Americans" want to see happen.. not sure where you got that.. but that's not what I have seen from everything I have read and seen. That's the problem. Most people DON'T want an investigation or a trial. There was just a new poll today by Gallup and USA Today, that says the majority don't even want the detainees brought over here.
Stupidity but that's how it is.
Check this out... " Fifty-seven percent of those questioned don't want Congress to investigate Bush officials who authorized those harsh interrogation procedures, with 42 percent calling for action by lawmakers. Fifty-five percent also don't want a similar investigation by an independent panel."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/06/poll-dont-investigate-torture-techniques/
That's what he is up against.. that's why he isn't getting in a hurry. He wants to get health care done, then he will push the investigation and the trials. Besides the more information that comes out, the more people speak out about what happened and the more trials of the detainees and the more we see how they aren't magical creatures who are going to slit peoples throats and aren't going to be running around the country side or running the local grocery mart, the better the tide is for the President and the worse it is for the torture argument.. so let it play out just a little longer.
Justice will only be served when Dick Cheney goes to jail.
ReplyDeleteAnnette: Sorry, but I have come to not believe in polls anymore! Thety have been known to be so far skewed, it is not funny anymore. It all depends WHO does the asking, WHERE, WHEN, and OF WHOM.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the questions themselves are highly important. You can skew a question by just changing one word, or the position of one word.