UPDATE::
I just wanted to add this update to let anyone reading it know that Senator Dick Durbin has called on the Attorney General to start a criminal investigation.
You might remember that during his testimony last week, Attorney General Mukasey said that he had not ordered investigations based on idle speculation, because no one knew for sure what techniques were used or even if they were used at all since those techniques have never been divulged...
So I am extremely happy to see that Senator Durbin has rightly pointed out that the administration has now divulged that at minimum, waterboarding was used and so Mukasey should now get cracking on a a criminal investigation.
It also now appears that the bush mafia has decided to go on an all-out PR blitz to try and reform the bad rap waterboarding has gotten, because they're worried that Congress might outlaw waterboarding and they aren't sure that they're quite done torturing people by waterboarding yet, so they want to keep their options open.
Will you set the fucking table already, Speaker Pelosi???
UPDATE II::
During this morning's press gaggle Whitehouse spokesman Tony Fratto said that the waterboarding wasn't illegal because the Attorney General had personally approved of it and if the Attorney General approves of an action it isn't illegal and since torture is illegal and the Attorney General approved of waterboarding, it cannot be torture and it cannot be illegal... (Or somesuch utter bullshit, but that's the gist of what Fratto was prattling on about.)
What about now, Nancy? Will you set the table NOW?
Please everyone contact your Congressperson and Senators and let them know that you're not buying into the bush mafia's PR blitz and tell them that they better not either!!!
Tell your Congressperson to echo Senator Durbin's call for a criminal investigation in the House and tell your Senators that you expect them to join Senator Durbin in his efforts to instigate a criminal investigation in the Senate.
I've read a lot of comments today concerning the news that our government now admits that we are officially a nation that not only sanctions the use of torture... but that we are a nation ACTUALLY tortures.
I think we've all known this in our hearts for quite sometime, but I also think that having a feeling your country tortures people in your name and having your government officially admit it tortures people in your name are two entirely different things... It would be kind of like the difference between having a hunch your next door neighbor is a serial killer and having the next door neighbor actually ADMIT they're a serial killer.
I've read comments that we will only see justice if Senator Obama is our next President and I've read comments that only Senator Clinton is strong enough to bring the bush mafia to justice.
To those comments I only have one thing to say and that is... I think you're all wrong.
We won't get justice for these crimes from the United States, no matter who is our next President, or even the President after that.
You have to remember, it wasn't just bush and cheney that are guilty of these crimes... It's also anyone that knew anything about the crimes and sat back to do nothing... and that covers damned near every branch of our government.
- The executive branch ordered it.
- The Legislative branch knew about it and either did nothing or actively approved.
- The Judicial Branch said it was legal.
- The CIA/military departments carried it out.
- The Justice Department excused everything.
If justice comes (and I have serious doubts that it will), it will come from the International community and NOT the United States.
Basically all branches of the United States government are guilty in some form or fashion of either ordering torture, the physical act of torturing, knowledge of torture, or providing legal cover for torture...
We know that a minimum, Speak Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KA) and former Rep. Porter Goss (R-FL) all knew about waterboarding.
They knew... and they either overtly approved of the methods or quietly approved with their inaction.
And those that aren't directly guilty by either criminal action, criminal negligence, or legitimizing criminal behavior are associates of people that DID have direct contact and I don't see any of them convicting their buddies of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Do you?
I honestly don't even see the international community punishing the U.S. for this either... but if they did try to put the bush mafia up before a war crimes tribunal, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if we went to war over it... and that's no matter who was President.
Even a President Obama or a President Hillary Clinton.
The simple fact is that both Senators are in a position RIGHT NOW, this very second where they could do something about the bush mafia's crimes... and yet they do nothing.
We will see no justice.
There will be no retribution.
There will be no triumphant vindication.
The best we can probably hope for now is to keep a repug out of office so we can be guaranteed to not commit any future war crimes.
Too many hands are dirty on this one, too many people knew about it and did NOTHING. If one falls, they all will... and that's just not going to be allowed to happen.
It's just not.
We are a nation that tortures and they best we can probably hope for is to one day be a county that used to torture... But I don't see the United States ever paying a penalty for it's criminal inhuman behavior.
Some might call me a pessimist, but I'm really not. I'm usually a pretty optimistic person... but I also try to be a realist and I just foresee this as being the most likely outcome.