Eugene Robinson: No More Torture

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081117_eugene_robinson_obama_60_minutes/

No More Torture
Posted on Nov 18, 2008

By Eugene Robinson


“I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America does not torture, and I’m going to make sure that we don’t torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America’s moral stature in the world.”

That unequivocal passage from President-elect Barack Obama’s first extended interview since the election, broadcast on “60 Minutes” Sunday night, was a big step toward healing the damage that the Bush administration has done not just to our nation’s image, but to its soul.

snip//

Years from now, we will be shocked to see those pictures of naked prisoners being humiliated and abused at Abu Ghraib—and we will be ashamed of a U.S. government that punished low-level troops for their sadism but exonerated the higher-ups who made such sadism possible.

Years from now, we will know the full truth of the clandestine CIA-run prisons where “high-value” terrorism suspects were interrogated with techniques, including waterboarding, that both civilized norms and international law have long defined as torture. From what we already know, it’s hard to say which is more appalling—the torture itself, or the tortured legal rationalizations that Bush administration lawyers came up with to “justify” making barbarity the official policy of the United States government.

Obama’s clarity on the issues of Guantanamo and torture stands in contrast to his necessary vagueness about how he will deal with the economic crisis. Torture is wrong today and will still be wrong tomorrow, whereas today’s economic panacea can be tomorrow’s drop in the bucket. Who would have thought that these “war on terror” issues would be the easy part for the new president?

Not that easy, though. More reports like the UC Berkeley study will come out, but this is not a task that can be left to academic researchers alone. The new Obama administration has a duty to conduct its own investigation and tell us exactly what was done in our name. Realistically, some facts are going to be redacted. Realistically, some officials who may deserve to face criminal charges will not. But to restore our national honor and heal our national soul, at least we need to know.


Eugene Robinson’s e-mail address is eugenerobinson(at)washpost.com.

[jaxx]

1. Eugene Robinson, a voice of reason.

I've come to respect him very much throughout the campaign. His columns make sense, and that wasn't an easy find in the past months.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. "Years from now, we will be shocked

to see those pictures of naked prisoners being humiliated and abused at Abu Ghraib—and we will be ashamed of a U.S. government that punished low-level troops for their sadism but exonerated the higher-ups who made such sadism possible."

Years from now? Eugene - it was shocking, horrifying, disgusting, and embarrassing the minute the first pictures hit the newsprint and airwaves. There have been hearings and hearings. They knew who developed the policy and a number of them refused to answer the questions under oath. There's alot of work that definitely needs to be done in order to never allow this to happen again.

[Aloha Spirit]

4. I hear you, although I think ER meant years from now "as well," like that will always be wrong to

anybody who reads about it, hence the clear morality of ending Guantanamo.
I could be wrong, happens every single day :-(

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. Most people didn't care.

[Ozma]

3. Those that developed the policy....

We know who they are, it is obvious! We are a nation too divided to have ever charged the three people who should be charged in this affair. President Bush, VP Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld. No one else could have done this! It is as OBVIOUS as the lack of clothing on those prisoners!

[riverwalker]

5. Robinson is a treasure

thank you

[OhioChick]

6. K&R

:kick:

[Hawkowl]

8. Years from now, we will see it repeat

Years from now, we will be witnessing new photos of Americans torturing other third world citizens. If Obama doesn't prosecute everyone responsible, we will see it again. Just as Cheney and Rumsfeld moved from the Nixon administration, to Iran Contra, to Shrub's cabal of neo-nazi's, we WILL see it again.

Not only will we see torture again, it will be far worse. Because the torturers will think they will get off scott free.

We must, absolutely must, insist that Obama hold these people accountable.