Posted on 11/16/2008 7:14:46 AM PST by BGHater
George W Bush is considering issuing pardons for US spies embroiled in allegations of torture just before he leaves the White House.
Senior intelligence officers are lobbying the outgoing president to look after the men and women who could face charges for following his orders in the war on terrorism.
Many fear that Barack Obama, who has pledged to close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and put an end to the policy of extraordinary rendition, could launch a legal witch hunt against those who oversaw the policies after he is sworn in on Jan 20.
Most vulnerable are US intelligence officers who took part in intensive interrogations against terrorist suspects, using techniques including water boarding, which many believe crossed the line into torture.
A former CIA officer familiar with the backstage lobbying for pardons, said: "These are the people President Bush asked to fight the war on terror for him. He gave them the green light to fight tough. The view of many in the intelligence community is that he should not leave them vulnerable to legal censure when he leaves.
"An effort is under way to get pre-emptive pardons. The White House has indicated that the matter is under consideration."
In addition to frontline CIA and military officers, others at risk could include David Addington, Dick Cheney's former counsel, and William Haynes, the former Pentagon general counsel who helped draw up the regulations governing enhanced interrogations.
Many in the Democratic party and human rights groups are calling on President-Elect Obama to tear up Mr Bush's executive orders licensing intensive interrogations on his first day in the Oval Office. They also want an immediate end to rendition, whereby suspects are flown to countries that practise torture.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
When we reach a point where we cannot fight a war, without prosecuting our own for fighting it anyway necessary to win it, we are finished. The concept of national defense will be worthless.
I wish he’d pardon Ramos and Caminion (spelled?)
The border guards.
Any pardons that would enrage the left would be fine with me.
Obama changing Bush's policy is one thing, but then applying the new policy to past practice is another, and wrong. These folks need a pardon -- even though they are not guilty of anything -- to protect them from Obama and the liberals.
My bigger concern is that all of us will be held accountable to a changed set of standards that are applied to the past. It is a way to weed out political adversaries.
Yeah, but if Bush pardoned Ramos and Compean, he might ‘offend’ his ‘dear (corrupt) friend’ Johnny Sutton, the rogue prosecutor who sent those border agents up the river.
We’ll see Jesus come back before El Presidente Jorge Boosh pardon those border agents.
Considering the Constitution has ceased to exist, will a pardon stop the Communists?
There’s a couple of border patrol agents who’s pardons I’d like to see on his to do list.
Knowing Jorge, with Juan McCain’s endorsement, he will pardon the 20 million illegals and make them legal.
This is absurd. By pardoning, he would be revealing their names making them a target for our enemies. Obama vote = Al Qaeda vote.
Should we start our wish list?
But will El Busho have the guts? He’s done exactly two things right over 8 years. They are named Roberts and Alito. And he had to be forced into that by public outcry over his attempt to follow in his fathers footsteps by naming a female Souter. (Assuming there is a difference there.) Will he use his pardon power honorably, unlike slick Willie? Of course he should start with 2 border guards, shouldn’t he!
HELL yes!!!!!!
Not only should they get a pardon, but they should get a performance bonus.
But I don't think he will. He would prefer to rely on the goodwill of the left, like his father. He's so darned "gracious".
Bush better pardon himself and post-date it. He’s going to need it when Obamanation starts.
Spies? What strange wording!
To pardon would be understood by many as admission of guilt. These men did nothing wrong.
I wish the British news outlets would tend to their own ruined house and quit trying to comment upon American issues.
I’m uneasy about this. W needs to tread lightly. I’m not concerned that a pardon of torturers would enrage the ‘Rats, but I am concerned what it would enrage Islamo-fascists. They could launch another terrorist attack and blame Bush because he “pardoned our torturers”.
Bush should issue a blanket pardon for the military, CIA, etc., excluding sexual assault, theft, and fraud. Imperfect justice, but better than persecution/prosecution by the Obama administration. Better to let one guilty person go free than to have 1000 innocent people punished.
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