Poll: Most want inquiry into anti-terror tactics(of Bush Admin)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: USA Today

Even as Americans struggle with two wars and an economy in tatters, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds majorities in favor of investigating some of the thorniest unfinished business from the Bush administration: Whether its tactics in the "war on terror" broke the law.

Close to two-thirds of those surveyed said there should be investigations into allegations that the Bush team used torture to interrogate terrorism suspects and its program of wiretapping U.S. citizens without getting warrants. Almost four in 10 favor criminal investigations and about a quarter want investigations without criminal charges. One-third said they want nothing to be done.

Even more people want action on alleged attempts by the Bush team to use the Justice Department for political purposes. Four in 10 favored a criminal probe, three in 10 an independent panel, and 25% neither.

The ACLU and other groups are pressing for inquiries into whether the Bush administration violated U.S. and international bans on torture and the constitutional right to privacy. House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers and his Senate counterpart, Patrick Leahy, have proposed commissions to investigate.




Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-02-11-investigation-poll_N.htm

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Hear that Obama Administration and Congress!?

[Jefferson23]

1. Another good start, the more Americans learn what the record shows, the

more likely they will want this pursued. Educating the general public is key here, imo.

[CarlottaCorday]

3. Matter of fact Jefferson...

you are right! The commission might be the firecracker that gets the People's attention.:thumbsup:

[Jefferson23]

8. I hope so Carlotta and welcome to DU.

[CarlottaCorday]

2. Regarding Leahy's commission and the L-O-L of Obama 'listening" or Congress caring...

I received a survey from Congressman Bob Wexler today, and instead of checking 3 of the pre-determined "Most Important Issues," I made use of the "Other" option. (Please, I don't wish to hijack this thread, but come on, Obama is not listening, can't you tell? We are formulating our QUESTIONS in conformity with the ANSWERS they're willing to give! NO NO NO! Pitchfork! Torch!)

How I filled in "other" as my "most important issue":

Find out why Pres. Obama is continuing so many Bush policies, keeping Bush people like Robert Gates in place, insisting on appointing a poorly qualified, not-recommended Ratheon lobbyist as Deputy Defense Secretary, appointing neocons to cabinet posts, forcing us all to go right on bowing to Republicans, the small minority, EXACTLY as if Bush were still up there declaring Himself the Decider. Put a STOP to this. Find out what became of Republicans like Chuck Hagel. Stop Obama from appointing Newt Gingrich to a high cabinet post. FIRE KBR!! Stop the war profiteering, punish the war profiteers, bring KBR to justice, bury KBR for multiple-multiple instances of rape and homicide, for God’s sake! Stop the Republican minority from dictating to this country. Where is the "new" administration? Where is the outcry in the press? Bring all troops home from Iraq, shut down that rat-hole of a giant embassy (turn property over to Iraq), keep promises to look after our veterans with a real eye to their sacrifice, stop recalling exhausted troops to more combat, stop (and punish) the hellish army abuses of our loved ones in uniform, ALLOW VICTIMS OF RENDITION to be heard in American court, bring Obama to account for war crimes, treason, malfeasance, if he continues this New Culture of Continuing the Bush Nightmare with Only a Tiny Cosmetic "change" Here and There. We voters have been had, as bad as we were had in 2004, Congressman Wexler. Republicans are still in charge. We gave Obama the reins and he handed them to the Republican party, the losers, and he will not stop. We can make NO MOVE without shyly consulting crude, sociopathic, self-serving and often LUNATIC Republicans, kneeling before Republicans who were rabidly complicit in war crimes and death, humbly wiping from our hair the spit of Republicans like Boehner and McCain and Kyl, no iota of Change whatsoever! Before, it was Bush/Cheney in charge. Now it's these Republican "lawmakers'" we must grovel to. Find a reporter who will sit at a press conference and ASK THE PRESIDENT WHY THIS IS. Then, on the floor of the House, demand that our president answer! Why is he doing this? This is “decider” behavior, not leadership! This absurd, sinful, top priority-placing of “bipartisanship” is Legacy Polishing at the outset! Just exactly what AMERICA DOES NOT NEED! Please consider every capital letter a torch. And every exclamation point a pitchfork. Thank you, Cong. Wexler. You are the extreme minority. Please stop the Truth Commission, too! It’s designed to protect the war criminals, even immunize them to travel in Europe! We the people are listening to Jonathan Turley. Don’t leave this to the international courts. What a disgrace that WILL BE. We don't need the truth exposed. The truth is staring us in the face, covered in blood. We want the guilty tried and convicted. And please, all of you politicians in power...stop lumping what the People want most in with items YOU want most. Withdrawing troops from Iraq is not synonymous with ensuring the security of Israel, for instance. Ensuring the security of Israel should have no bearing on our loved ones having to serve in the illegal occupation of Iraq. Stop this wickedness, this twisting of the Truth, this manipulation, aided and abetted by the not-free press, the corporate news media, wielded AGAINST THE PEOPLE, without whom you'd have no power. But we are easy, aren't we. Too desperately busy scrabbling for an extension on our unemployment benefits to scold our "leaders."

:spank:

[Bunkie0913]

4. Sounds good to me!

Those all sound like reasonable questions, demands for truth and justice.

[Beam Me Up]

5. K n R ^^^

Interesting ... I did much the same thing but you are far more eloquent.

What I want is a new -- REAL -- investigation into the crimes of 9/11 -- because that is the key to the whole ball of buggers. If they can pry that open and reveal the roaches inside, we'll be able to bring some sanity back into our supposedly "self governance". Without that, we are still lemmings believing in a fiction that is increasingly out of touch with reality. A constitutional republic can not govern itself absent accurate intelligence and information about what its elected leaders are actually doing.

[bdamomma]

6. kick

[lunatica]

7. Robert Wexler emailed me to contribute to that survey

In which he lists all the issues and asks us to pick 3 top issues. One of them is for investigation and accountability for the Bush Administration's actions. Then he asks to pick one issue as being all important and list that option again.

I checked it off both times.

[veganlush]

9. Yes, I got the wexler survey too..

this is our chance people, call your congressman and DEMAND a real investigation, not this thing that Leahy is proposing, but a REAL investigation. Someone posted above that Leahy's proposal would allow the bush criminal's (effectively) immunity in traveling abroad? is this true? unacceptable! Congressional switchboard (it'll only take a few minutes to call all of your congresspeople) [phone] Please make the calls today! Let's take back our country while will still can!:patriot:

[tclambert]

10. I want prosecutions.

I have been wanting to see an ex-President do prison time since Nixon. Bush gave us the best chance for that. The one truly positive thing Bush could do for America is demonstrate no one is above the law by doing some time. He should be proud to do so. It would make one bright spot in his legacy.

[Piewhacket]

11. Convictions. Prison.

If I weren't opposed to the death penalty, I'd say executions.

As it is, Bush turned Saddam and his lieutenant over to
their mortal enemies, who promptly hanged them.
So why not turn Bush/Cheney over to the Taliban or
Al-Qaeda for "justice".

Maybe Cheney will get an extra long rope or a very
dull blade?

Alas, I can have nothing to do with it, as
I'm opposed to the death penalty.