US official (AG Michael Mukasey) opposes prosecutions for torture advice

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Departing U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey said on Wednesday that he saw no reason for prosecutions or for pardons for those who gave legal advice on the Bush administration's terrorism policies.

Some human rights groups have urged President-elect Barack Obama to launch criminal investigations into the use of waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques on al Qaeda terrorism suspects.

They also have questioned whether the Bush administration broke the law with its warrantless domestic spying program adopted after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Obama's advisers have yet to say what he will do, but one idea being considered is creating an independent commission, like the one that investigated the Sept. 11 attacks, to examine the interrogation policies.

There has been speculation that President George W. Bush, before he leaves office next month and hands over to Obama, might give pardons to past or present officials implicated in the harsh interrogation methods or other abuses.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N03517147.htm

[Jack Rabbit]

1. The Gonzales memos are not a cover for war crimes

They are the prosecution's exhibit A in the conspiracy case.

If the US government is unwilling or unable to prosecute torturers and other war criminals, including Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney themselves, then an international tribunal should be established for that purpose.

[Solly Mack]

2. we knew that

during his "good faith" comments

[JDPriestly]

3. Fortunately, Mukasey will not be making that call.

[Piewhacket]

4. Skip the commissions, go directly to prosecutions.

If you pass Mukasey, whack the fool upside the head.

[Alter Ego]

5. Well, Mucus has got only a little more time left on the job

before he gets booted out in favor of Eric Holder, so...

[LynnTheDem]

6. "saw no reason for prosecutions or for pardons"

Well yeah, that's part of the entire problem.



Maybe in 100 years America will regain her good reputation.


Maybe.