Obama should treat Snowden the same way he treated Bush's torturers and Wall Street banksters

[Larkspur]

Obama claimed he could not prosecute them because their crimes were committed in the past.
Snowden's crime was committed in the past, so Obama should just leave him and all whistle blowers alone.

[The Straight Story]

1. We need to look forward and move on, damage is done, no need to bring up the past

etc

[still_one]

2. Where did the President say he could not prosecute them. Link? I want the exact quote?

[Larkspur]

3. Here are a few links

Video: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward"

"Looking Forward, Not Backward" Is Not Only Stupid … It’s Also Illegal
http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/04/looking-forward-not-backward-is-not-only-stupid-its-also-illegal.html


Obama's Justice: Reconciliation, Not Retribution
http://www.truth-out.org/archive/item/82609 bamas-justice-reconciliation-not-retribution

“Reconciliation” and “Looking Forward Not Backward:” Code for No Justice?
http://rogerhollander.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/reconciliation-and-looking-forward-not-backward-code-for-no-justice/

[still_one]

7. Not quite as strong as you said, but thanks for the links

[think]

5. I think he meant "should not" as spoken by Rahm Emanuel:

Aide: Obama Won't Prosecute Bush Officials


~Snip~

Asked Sunday on ABC's "This Week" about the fate of those officials, Emanuel said the president believes they "should not be prosecuted either and that's not the place that we go."

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the idea of "criminalizing legal advice after one administration is out of the office is a very bad precedent. ... I think it would be disaster to go back and try to prosecute a lawyer for giving legal advice that you disagreed with to a former president."

Full article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-250_162-4955428.html

And Lindsey Graham chipped in his support of this view so it's a "bipartisan" consensus as well....

[hack89]

4. Why don't we treat the torturers and bankers like Obama wants to treat Snowden?

win-win for all concerned (except for Snowden and the torturers/bankers)

[Larkspur]

6. I'd agree with that but Obama changed precedent

Obama basically said it was OK for the Powerful (Bush torturers and Wall Street banksters) to commit crimes with impunity, but should a grunt in our behemoth national security apparatus spill the beans to the American People on how the Powerful (national security agencies + corporations) are invading our privacy, then he should be treated and prosecuted like a criminal and traitor.

Obama should be forced to eat his "Looking Forward, Not Backward" words. That was a stupid think for a lawyer to say and as President he is encouraging law breaking by the Powerful.