Hope fading fast

[pasithea]

This article makes me very sad. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/us/10torture.html?hp

Yeah. Maybe it would make our country even more scorned by the rest of the world, but if even a third of that stuff is true, we deserve it.

But worse than that, I can't help but feel like the only people this really protects are the sick twisted sociopaths of the previous administration. Why are we keeping these assholes from facing their day in court?

Comments

[rigelkitty.livejournal.com]

If it got out that the US tortured its captives as bad or worse than Saddam did, Abu Ghraib would look like a misdemeanor traffic violation in comparison. On one hand, I'm in favor of seeing those responsible pay for their crimes, too. But on the other hand, if even Obama's administration thinks it needs to be hidden, I'm wondering if it's SO bad that the consequences to America would far outweigh the benefit of prosecution.

[dv-girl.livejournal.com]

Defining 'cost' is probably what it comes down to. If we allowed people to see what sick fucking monsters the Republicans were, you can bet that the GOP members currently in office would close rank and do their best to prevent Mr. Obama from accomplishing anything for the next four years. I don't think the danger is from how the rest of the world would see us, but rather that the right wing has installed a bunch of three-year-olds in our government and we'd have to deal with their tantrums.

So his choices are: Take a black eye with people on the left who aren't in power OR take a black eye on the right with people that can cause real problems. The amount we'd lose or gain in foreign affairs either way is likely pretty minimal. So... This early in his administration, it's tactically more sound to piss off powerless liberals than rightwing thugs.

In other words: Business as usual. I really hoped he'd have more spine. :(

[rigelkitty.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that maybe all Democrats weren't as angelic as we might take them for granted to have been. And rather than foreign or GOP reaction, I'd be more concerned about the public's reaction, especially when the country's on the border of economic collapse.

There are investigations going forward in other areas. If I were the president, I'd quietly gather data from those investigations and keep it secret until the country recovers, and only reveal it when the public can take the shock. Now's just not a good time for another Abu Ghraib.

[maradydd.livejournal.com]

So his choices are: Take a black eye with people on the left who aren't in power

Wait, what? We have a Democratic majority in both houses.

Unless you think there are international issues involved, like, oh, I dunno, Britain being complicit in torture or something.

[dv-girl.livejournal.com]

I think that people in our government, regardless of side, and other governments are generally going to be okay with the 'national security' line. They might make a little noise about it for show, but they'll accept it as part of the power structure. It's only people who are outside the government and on the left (like me) who will really find it hard to swallow.

Realistically, by the time it comes to reelection, this issue will likely be totally forgotten and we'llbe facing the lesser of two evils debate again, so it's really pretty low-risk to do something I won't approve of. ... From a shrewd tactical POV.

[anaisdjuna.livejournal.com]

This so sucks!!!

This kinda shit is the worst thing he can do. He has a lot of power right now with the people and with the economy being such shit. He has the kind public support he could really do stuff. He should rase the last administration. If they got enough eyes seeing deep horrible stuff that went on heads will roll and when heads roll Republicans will eat their own. Remember Trent "Cockfighting Redneck" Lott? They turned on him like rabid dogs. Obama needs to take what he's got and run with it.

It doesn't work to try and surf the middle. The person who did it best was Bill Clinton and they still got him and gave it to him as hard and as hypocritically they could and the middle caved to the right.

Right now as bad as things are in a way that Americans understand... their wallets.... he could do a lot and the middle would lap it up. The dems could gain back some dignity and the repugs would have to suck it.