Obama not ruling out prosecution of Bush officials for crimes in office

[bigtree]

40 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday he was not ruling out possible prosecution for abuses committed under the George Bush administration, saying no one "is above the law".

"We're still evaluating how we're going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions, and so forth," Obama said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's This Week program when asked about alleged abuses under Bush.

"Obviously we're going to be looking at past practices and I don't believe that anybody is above the law," Obama said.

"My instinct is for us to focus on how do we make sure that moving forward we are doing the right thing," he said.

"That doesn't mean that if somebody has blatantly broken the law, that they are above the law. But my orientation's going to be to move forward."


Obama declined to say whether he could appoint a special prosecutor to look into possible charges against Bush and his deputies, saying the issue would be up to his attorney general.

"He is the people's lawyer," he said of the attorney general-designate, Eric Holder.

"So, ultimately, he's going to be making some calls, but my general belief is that when it comes to national security, what we have to focus on is getting things right in the future, as opposed looking at what we got wrong in the past."

read: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gal86JmRdRzRgPMpBsARanspo1eQ

[Saturday]

1. Obama is having dinner with Colin Powell and John McCain....

either tonight or tomorrow night. Colin Powell is in the middle of the crime scheme of the Bush administration. Would he be having dinner with someone he's going to hang up to dry? I doubt it. Obama won't prosecute anyone. We only prosecute poor people who rob Seven Elevens. We let everyone else walk because it's what's "best for the country to move forward".

[Larkspur]

3. There is some hope. John Dean told Olberman that there are foreign prosecutors

ready to file charges against Bush officials for war crimes, specifically trying them for torture.

[wake.up.america]

2. Yada is right. Unfortunately , these people will be rewarded...

and prosecuted for war crimes.

[lonestarnot]

5. That is bullshit and you know it.

[dynasaw]

4. Start At the Top

Yes Mr. President elect, start with the thugs at the top.

[bigtree]

6. On ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos this morning,

Stephanopoulos: "The most popular question on your own website is related to this. On change.gov it comes from Bob Fertik of New York City and he asks, 'Will you appoint a special prosecutor ideally Patrick Fitzgerald to independently investigate the greatest crimes of the Bush administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping.' "

Obama: "We're still evaluating how we're going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions, and so forth. And obviously we're going to be looking at past practices and I don't believe that anybody is above the law. On the other hand I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. And part of my job is to make sure that for example at the CIA, you've got extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don't want them to suddenly feel like they've got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering."

Stephanopoulos: "So, no 9/11 commission with Independence subpoena power?"

Obama: "We have not made final decisions, but my instinct is for us to focus on how do we make sure that moving forward we are doing the right thing. That doesn't mean that if somebody has blatantly broken the law, that they are above the law. But my orientation's going to be to move forward."

Stephanopoulos: "So, let me just press that one more time. You're not ruling out prosecution, but will you tell your Justice Department to investigate these cases and follow the evidence wherever it leads?"

Obama: "What I -- I think my general view when it comes to my attorney general is he is the people's lawyer. Eric Holder's been nominated. His job is to uphold the Constitution and look after the interests of the American people, not to be swayed by my day-to-day politics. So, ultimately, he's going to be making some calls, but my general belief is that when it comes to national security, what we have to focus on is getting things right in the future, as opposed looking at what we got wrong in the past."

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/01/61177294/1

[lonestarnot]

7. LOL clear as mud.

[acmavm]

8. "...But my orientation's going to be to move forward."

Never thought otherwise. Not for one minute.

[deminks]

9. Look forward until after January 20th, then prosecute, prosecute, prosecute.

IMHO: You can't know where you are going until you know where you have been.

And we have been in some evil sh*t.

[rock]

10. Unfortunately "move forward" is code for

Ignore the past.

[tbyg52]

11. Whatever the answer, I am happy that the question got asked on national TV. nt