Obama open to torture memo prosecutions

The Washington Times ^ | Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | Stephen Dinan

[topfile]

President Obama for the first time Tuesday opened the door to prosecuting former Bush administration officials, saying those who approved harsh interrogation techniques for suspected terrorists may be subject to criminal charges.

The president also left open the possibility for an independent commission to examine the interrogations of detainees with techniques that included waterboarding, sleep deprivation and other tactics that defenders said produced valuable information.

The remarks were a reversal from several days ago, when Mr. Obama said he wanted to move forward and his chief of staff appeared to rule out any prosecutions. The president took a harder line after a key congressional committee chairman and liberal pressure groups urged him not to take prosecutions off the table.

[antonia]

From the man in the pews who sat there while Jeremiah Wright said American deserved 9/11. And then wanted him for White House “spiritual advisor”. We all knew this was coming. Even Hillary wouldn’t have done this.

Today Hillary said this: "Are you in favor of releasing the documents that Dick Cheney has been requesting be released?," asked Rep. Rohrbacher. "Well, it won't surprise you, I don't consider him a particularly reliable source of information," responded Secretary Clinton to a smattering of laughter in the hearing room. Which inspired this emission from this 'moderate': "over the past two days Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs not only replied to Cheney, but framed their comments in a way that reminded the bulk of Americans — as opposed to the actual people questioning them — why voters voted to end the 8-year Republicans’ eight year executive branch control. The United States had had an “Imperial Presidency” in its history, but never an Imperial Presidency coupled with an Imperial Vice Presidency

From the man in the pews who sat there while Jeremiah Wright said American deserved 9/11.

And then wanted him for White House “spiritual advisor”.

We all knew this was coming. Even Hillary wouldn’t have done this.

[Dave W]

You have got to be kidding? Did you see the rock star treatment Obama got at CIA headquarters a couple of days ago? It was the Beatles all over again. The CIA people were screaming and cheering so loudly I had to turn down the TV. They love Obama!

Remember, this is the same CIA that worked diligently to bring down Bush in every way possible. Don't be fooled. The CIA is a cesspool of liberals.

[Grizzled Bear]

Tyrant

[Tipton - Halford]

Behold ‘tis I the commander
Whose grip controls you all
Resist me not, surrender
I’ll no compassion call

(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall

Your very lives are held within my fingers
I snap them and you cower down in fear
You spineless things who belly down to slither
To the end of the world you follow to be near

(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall

Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned

I listen not to sympathy
Whilst ruler of this land
Withdraw your feeble aches and moans
Or suffer smite from this my hand

(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall

Mourn for us oppressed in fear
Chained and shackled we are bound
Freedom choked in dread we live
Since Tyrant was enthroned

My legions faithful unto death
I’ll summon to my court
And as you perish each of you
Shall scream as you are sought

(Tyrant) Capture of humanity
(Tyrant) Conqueror of all
(Tyrant) Hideous destructor
(Tyrant) Every man shall fall

[HelloooClareece]

I won’t disagree that there are many libs at the CIA but that was a staged media op using very low level people who were supporters of his. Please don’t use that bit of video to base your assumptions on.

[Munz]

It won’t happen.
Bambi knows if he allows it to happen that he becomes an open book for public inspection.
When the political tides turn and they will and democraps aren’t in power he will be put to the same test.

If they go after Bush and set the president then when they go after Obama, they will tar and feather him before he even steps foot in a court. After he is fund guilty, they will bring a brand new iron maiden in for his punishment.

[Rockitz]

When, not if, there is an attack, O is headed for zero in approval rating giving Jimmuh a run for worst president ever.

[oprahstheantichrist]

"Leak his Birth Certificate?"

How about Stanley Ann's FBI file?

[Minime8276]

Apologies to all for stepping in here but I just had to. Long time lurker here but this topic has me on fire. Can’t. Sit. Still. Any. More.

It is this sort of behavior that makes me give Hillary credit for one thing (and one thing only) and that is her assertion that a certain B Hussein Obama is in no way ready for a 3 AM call. He’s in no better shape to answer a late night 976-number. Actually, now that I think about it...

This man is beyond anything that I could have ever imagined and I certainly imagined the worst. In the approach to the election there were people hollaring about this being the end of civilization as we know it (Apocalypse speak) and how Obama is going to dismantle the country from the inside out, and I never did put too much weight in that. It was too over the top. But now it’s probably only a week or three past his First 100 Days. If he’s already this comfortable being so outrageously disrespectful to those who protect his abilty to take a fresh breath every day by keeping him (and the rest of us) out of harm’s way, I can only imagine what may be next. Slippery slope indeed.

And to think that certain people in this country, when asked the question, “if you could avoid another 9/11 by waterboarding somebody, for instance, would you?” And they respond “no,” because it’s too harsh or against the law or whatever their reasoning. And then it’s taken to a more personal level and they’re asked, “if you could save your child by waterboaring, again for instace, somebody, would you?” And their response is still no, I have to think those are not the kind of people who have any right to vote at all because they are not the people that this country’s forefathers expected to be products of, by, and for.

The above scenario of questions was watched by my wife and I this morning on a local morning “news” show on the local Fox affiliate here in Los Angeles. It was a stunning commentary on (please excuse me but I fail to find a more appropriate word in my apparenty limited lexicon) the “pussification” of America. And it’s not an isolated comment or a unique sentiment as I’m rather sure a lot of you here are all too aware.

And to CaptainAmiigaf, you are soooo right on! Military training, let alone things that happen at weekly keggers at coleges around the world, make half of these “interrogation techniques” seem downright playful. Give me a catepillar in a room any day. God Bless Daniel Pearl. ‘Nuff said.

-Mini

[Just A Nobody]

but at least she (a) had experience, and (b) loves this country.

(a)Experience at what??? Being married to a president that never got 50% of the vote even with all the vote fraud? (b) LOL! Ya think? That's funny. She is as much of a commie as O-bomb-Us, but I think she would have gone a little slower.

[Just A Nobody]

Did you call in sick the day they were water boarding? How did you miss that? Lots of guys I know were water boarding as prep for combat.

[BagCamAddict]

Lordy. Trees, meet Forest.

I wasn’t trying to start a debate, or a war.

I was simply trying to say that if it had to be him (Zero) or her (Hillary), I would rather have her.

Sheesh.

[dools007]

No, he’s not going after the intelligence community. He’s going after Bush, Cheney and Condi Rice. Reason: He has to create demons to take attention away from his ruinous policies. Certainly these will be sham prosecutions, but they will keep Bush and the others in the news every day.

As the left has already demonized these people to the extent that demrat voters truly have a “Bush Derangement Syndrome”, he hopes: 1. the idiots will never notice how much more they’re paying in taxes and 2. the continuing erosion of their personal liberties.

[NCBraveheart]

We have officially become a banana republic.

[Madame Dufarge]

Hillary loves this country.

Please.

The only diffrence between Hussein and Hillary is that he'd look better in a dress than she would.

[CaptainAmiigaf]

I wasn’t a ground pounder. Navy boot camp prepared you to live ON THE WATER..not necessarily IN it. I did forget to mention the joys of seasickness. That was something to look forward to, believe me.

[envisio]

Welcome.

Great first post. With posts like that, your should have come around a long time ago.

I totally agree with what you term the “pussification” of America. You’re absolutely correct.

[Kimberly GG]

“Obama goes after US intelligence community.”

Then he should go after EVERY member of Congress who were advised (repeatedly, I believe) of the methods being used.

[FightThePower!]

“Nothing personal, but wrong. The spooks I have met, in general, are incredibly patriotic. It's a requirement, actually (or at least it used to be). They are very professional, quiet, calm, and don't talk about it. That is also a requirement. Good people.”

That anecdotal evidence doesn't mean that the majority of they CIA isn't liberal.