Glenn Greenwald: The motivation for blocking investigations into Bush lawbreaking

[Fumesucker]

Here is why the FISA legislation containing telecom immunity passed.



http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/15/complicity/

Harper's Scott Horton yesterday interviewed Jane Mayer about her new book, The Dark Side. The first question he asked was about the Bush administration's fear that they would be criminally prosecuted for implementing what the International Red Cross had categorically described as "torture."

Mayer responded "that inside the White House there been growing fear of criminal prosecution, particularly after the Supreme Court ruled in the Hamdan case that the Geneva Conventions applied to the treatment of the detainees," and that it was this fear that led the White House to demand (and, of course, receive) immunity for past interrogation crimes as part of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. But Mayer noted one important political impediment to holding Bush officials accountable for their illegal torture program:

""An additional complicating factor is that key members of Congress sanctioned this program, so many of those who might ordinarily be counted on to lead the charge are themselves compromised.""


As we witness not just Republicans, but also Democrats in Congress, acting repeatedly to immunize executive branch lawbreaking and to obstruct investigations, it's vital to keep that fact in mind. With regard to illegal Bush programs of torture and eavesdropping, key Congressional Democrats were contemporaneously briefed on what the administration was doing (albeit, in fairness, often in unspecific ways). The fact that they did nothing to stop that illegality, and often explicitly approved of it, obviously incentivizes them to block any investigations or judicial proceedings into those illegal programs.

[AndyA]

1. They all need to be removed from office.

We'll keep the ones who've stood up to this criminal administration, but all the rest need to go!

[Vanje]

5. Yes,

As unhappy as I am, with the Bush administration, I've always expected they would rule as they have.
I am not surprised. I am not shocked.

What is my greatest disappointment is the performance of our democrats in congress.
They could have saved the world.
They could have saved the nation.

[Fumesucker]

6. But that might have required some personal sacrifice on their parts...

It's OK for the peons to practice personal sacrifice, witness the 4000 plus dead and tens of thousands of severely injured troops.

As Greenwald so cogently pointed out the other day, this is all about "tribalism", the wealthy and powerful tribe is protecting its members from the need from any personal sacrifice, the rest of us, the great unwashed, are not part of that tribe and deserve to sacrifice our lives, bodies and what little wealth we might happen to have.

[groovedaddy]

2. What a difference several decades makes

Remember when the CIA broke the law for Nixon (and others) by spying on American citizens on American soil? The Church committee et al. took action to clean the mess up.
This time around, Bush & Cheney managed to get Congress to aid & abet their crimes so they wouldn't have to worry about congressional investigations.

[kentuck]

3. We know who they are:

They were on the intelligence committees. Pelosi, Harman, and Rockefeller amongst them.

[OneBlueSky]

4. simply the biggest CYA (Cover Your Ass) conspiracy in our nation's history . . . n/t

.

[Fumesucker]

7. Is there anyone who stil thinks that Obama absolutely had to vote for telecom immunity?

It becomes more clear by the day that telecom immunity was designed to cover up lawbreaking at the highest levels of our government.

Why would someone who ostensibly wishes to restore the rule of law vote to cover up crimes committed by politicians on both sides of the aisle?

[SteveM]

8. Dem Dems felt the GOPer lash too long; ain't gonna fight da Boss man(nt)

[G_j]

9. kick ~!

[Octafish]

10. We need to separate the good from the bad.

No matter their, em, background.

[Joanne98]

11. I see this as a long term project. We have to replace the dem Bush protectors.

But it will take about 4 years. We need time to run people against them in the primaries. But I think it's clear that nothing will get done as long as we have DEMS in the way!

[Senator]

12. K&R&Impeach Now

[indepat]

13. All traitors need to be removed from office ASAP by any and all legal means possible imo

:D