Rachel Maddow: Former Rice confidant Philip Zelikow on the torture memos

[Turborama]

Run time: 08:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKzLChQ1p7k   Posted on YouTube: April 22, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: April 22, 2009 By DU Member: Turborama Views on DU: 1405

 

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOy1YZ1acQg

[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Thanks! Missed it tonight!

Rachel is always worth watching, and I did want to hear her take on the story of the day. She is not only extremely well informed, but she makes complicated issues crystal clear... :bounce: :hi:

[daughter of liberty2]

2. K&R

:thumbsup:

[bjobotts]

3. I sicerely hope DU commenters listen to Maddow's explanation of the AG's role in all this

[bjobotts]

4. Thye keep acting like Obama is in charge of it and not Holder.

[bjobotts]

5. They act like they think Holder works for Obama or can take orders from the WH

[bjobotts]

6. Rachel sums it up nicely by saying the DoJ is an independent agency.

[bjobotts]

7. That Holder is in charge of prosecutions and determining laws broken

[defendandprotect]

12. However. . . .

As we saw in Reagan and Bush, Sr. administrations, their DOJ followed their

administration's policies in arguing legal cases -- pro-corporate and anti-abortion, etal.

These people are selected by the administration to reflect their "values."

And we saw much of this in the W administration.

[lostnotforgotten]

11. Yes, But Obama Controls The Bully Pulpit - It Is A Cop Out Not To Condemn Torture

eom

[defendandprotect]

13. Actually, i it would be his responsibility -- Constiutionally -- to condemn it --

Constiution bars "cruel and unusual punishment" ---
and -- buried in here -- and something which I think many citizens do understand --
is that TORTURE is a threat to our own citizens and our own prisoners -- who, btw,
are claiming torture!

Most of all, torture is putting citizens on notice as to what will happen to them if
they don't behave!



PS: Obama -- and Congress -- also need to follow this issue as far as our military and
intelligence officials, soldiers, employees are concerned in ensuring that ALL are
educated and aware of Constitution, Geneva Accords, Nuremberg Trial, Stockholm Studies
and so forth -- and that they are educating those serving the people to ensure that laws
are followed!!! Now is the time to do this!!

We should also be apologizing to the world AND especially for the rendition programs which
involved other nations --- whether by intimidation or willing cooperation!

[Turborama]

8. Thanks for your comments and I agree, however...

I sincerely hope you start using the message box on the reply page. Your current method of replying messes up the thread and puts people off posting...

Why do you keep ignoring people's requests to do this? You make good comments but no-one can, or wants to, enter into discussion when you post like this...

:shrug:

[Gregorian]

9. This is it. One more piece in the puzzle.

Check out his body language. Those praying hands!

[Adsos Letter]

10. "Let's de-politicize the Department of Justice..."

His statement at the end (almost) of the second part of the interview. Sounds like he is saying "let's let the DOJ follow this wherever it leads, without regard to political affiliation, and let the chips fall where they may." Gotta' say, I agree with him if that is his meaning.

[defendandprotect]

14. Notice he was part of State Dept Team and "Rice had grave concerns about all of this" .. .

Zelikow makes clear that . . .

"Rice understood what I was doing ON HER BEHALF" . . .

"I was her agent in these matters."

This was 2005 and looks like a cya move by State --

Also noticed the attempt again to use alibi of the "unprecedented" nature of
9/11 . . . "unchartered waters."
I've also seen elsewhere comments about Bushco being in "shock" after 9/11, etc.

No . . . I think the world has dealt with torture and found it always to be wrong --
whether in the clearly inhumane and immoral Christian Crusades or in US genocide against
Native Americans which included many gross acts of torture -- from cutting off of hands,
etc. in the effort to enslave and finally murder the "pagans."

We also have our own Constitution speaking on this -- "no cruel and unusual punishment" --
We have our own leadership in the Nurember Trials vs Torture and claims of "just following
oders." We have Geneva Accords and Stockholm Studies.

Everywhere there is standing and authorative warning and notice that torture is unacceptable.

Rice/STATE/Zelikow had higher responsibilites to Constitution and the public above merely
telling Bushco that we notice that "up isn't down" . . . !!!

And that there are existing laws against ALL of this . . . !!!