One of the things we clearly want to do with these prisoners is to have an ability to interrogate them and find out what their future plans might be, where other cells are located; under the Geneva Convention that you are really limited in the amount of information that you can elicit from people.
It seems to me that given the way in which they have conducted themselves, however, that they are not, in fact, people entitled to the protection of the Geneva Convention. They are not prisoners of war. If, for instance, Mohamed Atta had survived the attack on the World Trade Center, would we now be calling him a prisoner of war? I think not. Should Zacarias Moussaoui be called a prisoner of war? Again, I think not.

---Attorney General Eric Holder, November 2002.


Interestingly enough, Holder couldn't find anything to charge the "torture memo" writers, John Yoo, Robert Delahunty, and Jay Bybee, with. They didn't actually break the law in any way, shape or form. How could they have? They are attorneys who were asked by their client (the White House) to render a legal opinion. They did what they were supposed to do. And Holder's opinion, which is on record (see above), is essentially the same as theirs was. They never broke any laws, and even Obama & Co. have to admit that at this point.

Not satisfied with that result (since it doesn't satisfy their political goals of crucifying the Bush administration), the Obama White House is now planning on "referring the matter" to the state bar associations in which these attorneys are members for "investigation into violations of ethical standards". The Obama Administration is trying to have these guys disbarred for doing their jobs to the best of their abilities AND protecting the country at the same time. And given the political leanings of most bar associations in the USA, Obama might just succeed.

This, in my opinion, constitutes a manipulation of the justice system for political ends, and it is a disgrace to be treating people who did their duty as if they are pariahs.

Your thoughts please.

Elliot

Not satisfied with that result (since it doesn't satisfy their political goals of crucifying the Bush administration), the Obama White House is now planning on "referring the matter for doing their jobs to the best of their abilities AND protecting the country at the same time."... Your thoughts please.Hello El:

It's not Obama who's doing the referring. It's the Professional Accountability Office at the Justice Department where these guys worked. Dude! Plus, their investigation started under the dufus in chief...

Besides, if they didn't do anything, they don't need to worry.

Isn't that what you right wingers always say about the Fourth Amendment? If you have nothing to hide, then you don't need to worry. I think you do...

Justice is blind. They were unethical or not. Let the chips fall where they may. Unless, of course, you want "empathy" for them because you think they were patriots. You DO, don't you? Empathy is OK for the goose, but... I got it.

excon

Hello El:

It's not Obama who's doing the referring. It's the Professional Accountability Office at the Justice Department where these guys worked. Dude! Plus, their investigation started under the dufus in chief...

Besides, if they didn't do anything, they don't need to worry.

Isn't that what you right wingers always say about the Fourth Amendment? If you have nothing to hide, then you don't need to worry. I think you do...

Justice is blind. They were unethical or not. Let the chips fall where they may. Unless, of course, you want "empathy" for them because you think they were patriots. You DO, don't you? Empathy is ok for the goose, but..... I got it.

excon

No, you didn't. They have already been determined not to be guilty of anything. That's why they aren't being charged or prosecuted by Holder.

The "Justice Department" is simply following the orders of Obama. This is his show. The Dems in Congress couldn't stomach the fact that Obama essentially had said he wouldn't prosecute them, so they protested and Obama geeked. He said he would direct Holder to investigate them and take appropriate action. He didn't want to lose the support of the party.

Well, in the end, Justice WAS blind and Holder determined that they weren't guilty of anything. Only now Obama still needs to appease his Congressional Dems. He can't prosecute them on non-existant crimes, so he's instead ordering his Justice Dept. to refer the cases to the state Bars.

Justice has already been served and was thankfully blind.

But this referral to the Bars... this is POLITICS, not justice. The politics of appeasement.

Furthermore, we are no longer talking about judicial action. These are administrative hearings within the Bar associations, not court cases. It's a whole different ball of wax. Empathy is invited and quite welcome.

Elliot