Posted on 02/11/2009 4:50:37 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
A U.S. "truth commission" should investigate Bush administration policies including the promotion of war in Iraq, detainee treatment and wiretapping without a warrant, an influential senator proposed on Monday.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, urged a commission as a way to heal what he called sharp political divides under former President George W. Bush and to prevent future abuses.
He compared it to other truth commissions, such as one in South Africa that investigated the apartheid era.
"We need to come to a shared understanding of the failures of the recent past," Leahy said in a speech at Georgetown University.
"Rather than vengeance, we need a fair-minded pursuit of what actually happened," the Vermont senator said. "And we do that to make sure it never happens again."
Some Republicans and intelligence officials have resisted any suggestion of broad inquiries into accusations against the Bush administration, saying it would be a distraction or weaken morale in the fight against terrorism.
"If every administration started to re-examine what every prior administration did, there would be no end to it. This is not Latin America," the Judiciary committee's top-ranking Republican, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, told reporters last month.
President Barack Obama, who suggested shortly before he took office in January that he did not favor prosecuting Bush administration officials over their counterterrorism policies, said on Monday his administration would seek to uphold "our traditions of rule of law and due process."
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.reuters.com ...
Let the show trials begin!
It's amazing how fast they forget and power goes to their head.
Like with Obama FOIA change, now maybe we can get to the bottom of why Clinton allowed the 9/11 attack.
Yes Barry please waste taxpayer money on this while you valiantly fight against “the worst economy since the great depression”.
Unleash the Hounds of Hell, Senator. They will turn and rend you.
Uh, oh Bush is trouble if he's got Arlen watching his back. Hey Arlen, with your help we've just become a third world banana republic so I wouldn't use that Scottish Law argument if I were you.
This is just the congress not doing its job. The Constitution empowers congress to conduct tribunals inferior to the supreme court.
If you think this needs to be done, stop taking long recesses and do it.
Shades of Winnie Mandela!! Welcome to AFRICA!!!!! OMG! TRUTH COMMISSION?? We are now a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!!
If Barry really wanted to show forth leadership, he would tell that moron Leahy to stop the theatrics
Barry claims to want to ends the bitter partisan BS that transfixes DC in even the most asinine matters, he needs to stop this crap and stop it today.
All I hear are < crickets >
I for one would not be terribly disappointed if some disgruntled terrorist rowed his way up the Potomac with a 20MT fast fission device and did his bit for Allah. It really might be the only way..clean the slate and start over..
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, urged a commission, such as one in South Africa that investigated the apartheid era, as a way to heal what he called sharp political divides under former President George W. Bush and to prevent future abuses.
Does sound that like that -- doesn't it!
The USA is fast becoming "Zimbabwe America."
Uh, No. It empowers them "To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;". Which they have done. The Courts so constituted are the Courts of Appeals and the Federal District Courts.
The only "trials" Congress is empowered to conduct are removal from office trials. The House brings the charges, which is the Impeachement, and the Senate tries them. But the only "punishment" they can mete out is removale from office. The regular courts have to take it from there.
Since the members of the Bush Adminstration are no longer in office (save Gates) they cannot be Impeached and removed. Thus, any "War Crimes" trials must be conducted in the regular court system.
And do it before the other "history" type incidents in your list.
His total sellout of the United States on the Border and Amnesty issue, allowing MILLIONS of illegals aliens in our country and on our soil during eight years (was he bought off by drug lord money or corrupt Mexican politicians?)
His capitulation to the State Department with sham negotiations with North Korea that Ambassador John Bolton and most sane people agree gave the North Koreans time to produce more nukes and become more dangerous to the region I current work in (along with about 100,000 other US troops here). What happened? Why?
Listen, I dont give this former president of ours a break AT ALL on the two key issues. To me, if he were still president, these would be impeachable acts.
And I say this with pride on my 10 years officially with FR today.
You’re right. I was misinterpreting that clause.
However, I’m still tired of cogress always appointing some commission and then going on recess.
Leahy calls for ‘truth commission’(Tera-BARF alert)
Politico | 2/9/2009 | JOHN BRESNAHAN
Posted on 02/09/2009 12:12:40 PM PST by markomalley
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2181756/posts
Sen. Leahy proposes truth panel on Bush era abuses
Breitbart | 2/9/09 | DEVLIN BARRETT
Posted on 02/09/2009 11:47:00 AM PST by xtinct
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2181737/posts
U.S. senator seeks Bush-era ‘truth commission’
Reuters
Posted on 02/09/2009 11:13:16 AM PST by Sub-Driver
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2181715/posts
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