Mort Kondracke: Say no to 'war crimes' probe

The Washington Times ^ | December 26, 2008 | Morton Kondracke

[2ndDivisionVet]

For the sake of national security and national unity, President-elect Barack Obama should put a stop to efforts to investigate or prosecute Bush administration officials for anti-terror "war crimes."

The motive behind such efforts is not - as claimed - "truth" or "justice," but political vengeance.

Republicans hated President Clinton and a GOP-dominated House impeached him. Many Democrats hate George W. Bush with equal or even greater passion, but they demurred on the idea of impeachment - mainly because the action against Mr. Clinton hurt the GOP more than it hurt Mr. Clinton.

But now Bush-haters are calling for the Obama administration to investigate Bush officials for alleged war crimes and other misdeeds connected with the war on terror.

Mr. Obama should make it clear right now that he opposes such action - and also that he opposes the "compromise" idea of a "truth commission" to investigate alleged Bush-era wrongdoing.

The main reason has less to do with "turning the page," uniting the country and letting bygones be bygones - all good_Obama impulses-than with preserving the morale of intelligence professionals in wartime.

Were a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate possible criminality involved in detainee interrogations, "extraordinary_renditions" or terrorist_surveillance, it's not only Bush-era top officials who would have to hire lawyers to defend themselves but lower-down intelligence operatives as well.

The same would be true if Congress created a "truth commission" with subpoena power to report on Bush-era policies. The operatives wouldn't have to fear prosecution, but they would still have to worry about their reputations.

And, when President_Obama calls on the CIA to undertake a dangerous mission - perhaps a terrorist "snatch" in the tribal areas of Pakistan_or_the assassination of Osama bin Laden - any agent directed to undertake it would justifiably demand a legal opinion first.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Mort-on isn't right very often, but he is this time. I hope that President Bush issues a blanket pardon to EVERYONE that took part in the War on Terror.

[FlingWingFlyer]

If the Commie 'RATS want to see an uprising, they should go ahead and and attempt to try President Bush and others in his administration for "war crimes." There are still a lot of Americans living in this country and we won't stand for it.

P.S. We have the guns.

[Timmy]

I don't. What a terrible precedent.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Worse than a four year long Soviet-style show trial?

[plain talk]

Republicans hated President Clinton and a GOP-dominated House impeached him. Many Democrats hate George W. Bush with equal or even greater passion, but they demurred on the idea of impeachment - mainly because the action against Mr. Clinton hurt the GOP more than it hurt Mr. Clinton.

Mort is right you say? Baloney - he is wrong on numerous aspects of the sentence Ive quoted here.

1. Republicans did NOT impeach Clinton because they hated him. Clinton broke the law.
2. The impeachment did NOT hurt pubs more than dems or George W. Bush wouldn't have been elected twice.
3. Dems are NOT holding off on impeachment of Bush because they think it hurt pubs - it is because they have nothing to impeach him for.

Mort is an idiot.

[BallyBill]

Let ‘em have their fun and make idiots out of themselves. The media knows what side the American people will fall on and the damage to the D’Rats would be massive.

[USNBandit]

What I don't like about this piece is the notion that the Bush Administration is guilty of something. They are prosecuting a war against an unconventional foe.

If they want to get into this war then lets dig up the remains of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations for Vietnam. If they want to get into extraordinary renditions then we can frog march Clinton and a number of Obama's staff in for their part in renditions during that adminstration.

Bush didn't bomb a Chinese embassy and didn't blow up an aspirin factory in the Sudan.

[2ndDivisionVet]

That isn't where Mort was right: It was the intelligence aspects of a “fishing expedition” where he is correct.

[End Times Sentinel]

I doubt this will come as a surprise to many here, but just about everything The One said on the campaign trail was a calculated lie.
He'll have no intention of setting up a kangaroo court because it will appear an ugly, unnecessary, vengeful act to the vast majority of Americans and would only serve to throw raw meat to the rabid banshees of the far left fever swamp. He's already got their votes and it's time to throw those delusional fools under the bus. In fact, for The One, the less he's seen with Madea Benjamin, Cindy Sheehan and the rest of the America haters, the better.

Obama is going to have his hands full the next four years trying to right this economy and he's set about doing that in the absolute worst way possible- by revisiting the disastrous “New Deal” policies.
He's surrounded himself with smarmy Chicago politicians and Clintonites and keeping the hatch on all the mis-deeds they'll be up to will be a full time job in itself.

Maybe I have stars in my eyes, but I think there's a good chance that some of the more dire predictions I myself and others here have made, aren't in the cards. Amnesty, ACORN running the FEC, Fairness Doctrine/Net neutrality, etc. is all going to the back burner.
Wasting time on that while his political capital is rapidly melting away due to double digit unemployment, a decimated real estate market, Consumer Confidence reaching historic lows, and quite probably a wonderful new surprise from The Suicidal Sons of the Desert/Mad Vlad/Kim Jong Il will keep him too busy from implementing his disastrous domestic plans that would mean a serious blow to C's interests.

[rockinqsranch]

Your points #1, #2, and #3 are totally correct.

and YES Mort is an Idiot.

[an amused spectator]

But now Bush-haters are calling for the Obama administration to investigate Bush officials for alleged war crimes and other misdeeds connected with the war on terror.

Gads, I hope they do this.

It will further legitimize the coming revolt.

[Doctor Raoul]

50% Off All Impeach Bush Sweatshirts

[tomnbeverly]

If Obama changes any... ANY .... ANY!!! Bush policy and we get another 911 type terror attack on America then OBAMA is legally complicit in the deaths of those Americans and If a President is not willing or able to keep Americans safe from Harm then this country does not exist.

[M. Espinola]

Any 'War Crimes' investigations should be pointed directly at Iran for instigating Shi'ite related terrorism in Iraq against our troops. Iran arms Hamas & Hezballah terror attacks against Israel. The Russian supported Tehran régime also promotes assassinations and terrorist attacks inside Lebanon, Pakistan, Afghanistan & beyond.

Wahhabist Saudi Arabia, flooded with OPEC oil profits (less recently) should be investigated for financially promoting Wahhabist terrorism in both Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism directed at Israel, coupled with bankrolling Wahhabist jihaidist training centers in Pakistan, plus worldwide.

[Larry381]

I pray the Rats in Congress try to pull this vicious, vile attempt at a Stalinist show trial-the American people will rise up and bounce a good portion of them out on their collectivist asses in the next congressional election. Nothing would so unify the Republican party and patriotic Americans as this would. Zero was pretty much elected because the economy tanked in Sept and Oct and if he agrees to this madness he’ll have ratings lower than Bush, although I don’t think he has the balls to do it anyhow.

[heysean]

If Bush or Cheney ever face war crimes charges, I seriously doubt it’ll happen in this country.

[muawiyah]

The deal is that there are a whole big bunch of Democrats on the list for investigation, indictment, prosecution and execution for war crimes during the Viet Nam War. They include Robert McNamara, Teddy Kennedy, John Kerry and others.

We gotta' see those guys do the perp walk and then pay for their war crimes against American soldiers FIRST.

[Elsiejay]

This Republican “hated” a whole lot about Clinton, but not him as a person, and I’m inclined to believe that such an attitude would characterize Republicans much more accurately than does Kondracke’s allegation.
Personalizing policy differences, especially to the point of hatred, is pointless and a waste of psychic energy.

[muawiyah]

Speaking of Chicago politicians, they're essentially the same as their Eastern European counterparts except with regards to some of their surnames.

Think of Obama as America's first EASTERN EUROPEAN President and the dude begins to make sense and scare the h~~~~ out of me!

There's a reason those guys haven't been running for President and VP before, and now they find one with a heavier than average tan and they fool the largest faction left in the Democrat party.

[genghis]

mort is always wrong.
He is a rat and rats are worse than broken clocks.
This wold be a good thng because it would take some much time and energy they could be using to raise taxes, spend money and regulate stuff.
Yes, i realize they will do all those things, but it isn’t free and it takes energy.