The cry would have been deafening. Bush’s Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would have been rapped as a political hack, one responsible for the politicization of the Justice Dept.
Of course, the above is pure fantasy. Torture did happen in the Bush Administration, approved at the highest levels of government. Gonzales was nothing more than an embarrassing political toady who tarnished the reputation of the Justice Dept. That was supposed to change. Redemption was said to be at hand when Obama was elected President of the U.S. He would restore trust. After all, he promised “change.”
By failing to pursue the legal stiffs who besmirched the honor of the U.S. by okaying waterboarding and the like, Obama breaks his oath with the American people. We deserve better.
Obama appears to be backtracking today from his promise not to press charges against a Bush Administration tainted with torture. C’mon, Barack, show some backbone. It’s wishy-washy to say you worry about the political “impact of high-intensity hearings.” We’ve been through much worse. Watergate immediately comes to mind.
Obama should be more worried about the damage he will do to this country’s image worldwide, if the evil-abettors are let off the hook. Cleansing is needed. The world is watching.
If Obama caves, it’s up to AG Eric Holder to step up to the plate. That would surely invigorate the Justice Dept. and send a signal to the rest of the world that America is back in the morality game.
The Justice Dept. should not be a subsidiary of the White House, as it was during the Bush years.
Obama is a smart guy. This blogger hopes his talk of no prosecutions was just a trial balloon, floated to gain reaction.
The people have spoken. It’s time to puncture the balloon and move to put the U.S. government on a higher moral ground.
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