This should be a great interview. Liz Holzman is on with Randi Rhodes. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Torture and Accountability

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050718&s=holtzman

article | posted June 28, 2005 (July 18, 2005 issue)
Torture and Accountability
Elizabeth Holtzman

This article will appear in the forthcoming book In the Name of Democracy: American War Crimes in Iraq and Beyond (Metropolitan), edited by Jeremy Brecher, Jill Cutler and Brendan Smith.

Although the terrible revelations of torture at Abu Ghraib hit the front pages in April 2004, no senior officials in the US military or the Bush Administration have yet been held accountable. The scandal has shamed and outraged many Americans, in addition to creating a greater threat of terrorism against the United States. But it has prompted no investigative commission (in the manner of the 9/11 commission) with a mandate to find the whole truth, or full-scale bipartisan Congressional hearings, as occurred during Watergate. Indeed, it is as though the Watergate investigations ended with the prosecution of only the burglars, which is what the cover-up was designed to insure, instead of reaching into the highest levels of government, which is what ultimately happened.

In just the latest sign of the current Administration's nose-thumbing at accountability for higher-ups, Lieut. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the commander in Iraq when the Abu Ghraib abuses occurred, is reportedly under consideration for promotion.

Nonetheless, higher-ups can be held to account. Difficult as it may be to achieve, our institutions of government can be pressured to do the right thing. If the public and the media insist on thorough investigations and appropriate punishments for those implicated--all the way up the chain of command--they can prevail.

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[Sydnie]

2. Listening - this is good stuff! Thanks for the heads up. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. Your welcome Sydnie! Unfortunately it was too short. She is looking

towards an eventual trial for all those who were behind the violations of the Geneva conventions in regard to Abu Ghraib and Gitmo. And if the death of a prisoner is involved, the sentence could be the death sentence (which I am personally against).

[Sydnie]

4. It was entirely too short.

I so wish I was in NY. I would be at that panel on Saturday for sure. I know they are having house parties around here too. I will have to find one to attend. This is too important to not support it.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. I live north of NYC but can't attend because I have to work. I hope that

someone tapes it.

[eleny]

5. I like her style!

She didn't even let Randi interrupt her when she wanted to expound on an issue. Wow! I'm going to find the archive later to hear the entire interview. That was a terrific interview that gave me hope, too. The administration and it's machinations are looking like they have a number of Achilles heels.

I hope there's an audio of the forum they both will be on tomorrow.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

7. I haven't heard Liz Holtzman in years. She was a Congresswoman at

32, and then went on to be DA of Bklyn and NYC Controller. She had a a couple of failed Senater runs. It was a treat to hear her as I remember her. The fact that she is working hard to expose the criminitality of this administation is really heartening.