McCain: Prosecutions Would Make Us "No Better Than a Banana Republic"

[incrowdcynic]

McCain, there are highly qualified legal experts, including our President, who have been mulling over what the appropriate course of action is. Since you are not a lawyer, you might not be so quick to judge.

[incrowdcynic]

I think he panders to whatever is popular opinion too much.

[truemonolith]

actually...why not go after lawyers for bad advise.

If a doctor gives a bad diagnosis, they are subject to indemnity suits.

If an engineer screws up, they can be arrested for negligence (in the case of structures) or failing to meet contractual terms otherwise.

I think lawyers, advisors ect ect should have a basic level of research and competency before their advise is given in writing, its only fair since the rest of us fall victim to this bureaucracy.

[incrowdcynic]

But when asking a GP for diagnosis on a rash, you aren't likely to be a microbiologist working for the CDC, looking for someone to echo what you've ardently espoused. I think its fair to ask the question, 'how much pressure were they under?' and 'did they give an honest legal opinion?' You essentially have to prove that they didn't truly believe what they espoused regarding their interpretation of the constitution. These men were highly competent legal experts, not personal injury flunkies.

[truemonolith]

Not the point at all. Whenever you go to any professional and get their advice, it must be on sound basis of fact.

Whether or not it can be proven should be left to the evidence to decide. I say have at it, if a lawyer gave bad advice based on personal prejudice or interest, let them be sued for all their worth for negligence.

[truemonolith]

I dont know....wouldnt an indemnity suit over a specialist falsly diagnosing cancer and the person then undergoing kemo based on that and it turning out that they didnt really have cancer be an arguement of interpretation and not facts?

Let the courts decide, let the case be made.

[incrowdcynic]

Forgive the unpunctual reply. I disagree, because said indemnity suit would be rather simple to litigate. There is nothing to abstract about the existence or nonexistence of cancer. That said, I don't disagree that they should examine any legal council that may have facilitated this debacle, but it's no simple matter.

[finerbiner]

Unless they are going to go to the top Bush/Cheney, then what is the point? Colin Powell's chief assistant has come out and said that there was a complete fabrication of intel in order to get us in the war. He also said he is speaking out because he is completely embarassed that he was a part of misleading the country.

[rdrakken]

wow...sounds like Obama.

Im sure what we will see is Obama continuing to publicly state that he only wants to move forward however the Justice system will press to prosecute.

And they should. If you break a law you should pay for it. If you leave it be, it allows someone to come in sometime in the future and take it one step further.

Uphold the law, or it becomes meaningless and shows that America has fallen far from grace and no longer deserves to survive.

[incrowdcynic]

I heartily agree.

[taoofmichael]

Well I guess all the Republicans got the memo -- banana republic banana republic banana republic.

But of course you're right. Prosecuting Bush would accomplish nothing (except maintaining the rule of law in America.) It would be political suicide for Obama. All the white supremacist hicks would freak out. And Bush would never see jail. He's rich. Duh!!

[neverlookback75]

I love that phrases pop up and are thrown around for a number of news cycles and then go away. It shows how intelligent we are, when we all parrot each other because we can't think of anything intelligent of our own to say and just feel the need to reinforce the fear of the day.

[bobbyjames1986]

wow. im glad that guy isnt president

[davis80smusic]

yeah, it not like their lawyers were bought-and-paid-for hacks who would have okay'd torturing their own mothers if they were paid enough

[rdrakken]

McCain who championed the no torture cause for YEARS has flipped flopped...how shocking.

And worse yet, he thinks going after those that broke the law will turn our nation into a bad clothing store!

Yes Republicans, that was a joke, just like most of your party is a joke.

[barada01]

So McCain apparently believes that torturing people is OK as long as lawyers said it is. Clearly this man either did not learn a single thing from his experience in Vietnamese POW camps or is lying about his being tortured in those camps.

[zidmt]

Banana Republics advocate torture. If we justifing torture in the name of national security, what prevent anyother country form saying the same and then we berate them? We can't have it both ways.

[KataVideo]

So.. I guess if mcsame's north vietnamese interrogators had a memo in their pockets detailing how to torture him, the author of that memo is a-okay.

[pezcore66]

Why do republicans and conservatives hate a clothing store so much !? haha ;)

[PersonalJesus348]

I would recommend Gap but its the same company :P

[marniespeaks]

McCain is worried about his Vietnam record. Let's see those Senator,

the GOP destroyed this country

[MooseOfReason]

We are a banana republic. We'd be a Democratic Republic if we followed the rule of law. Thomas Jefferson was in the Democratic-Republican party.

[thid1]

this argument brought to you by a plate of mashed potatoes.

[mrbhave]

banana republic n : a small country (especially in Central America) that is politically unstable and whose economy is dominated by foreign companies and depends on one export (such as bananas)

[exacerbatedtaboo]

Sounds like us in a few years.

[kakahass]

already a banana republic- too late!

[voyeurdug]

That was weak, wasn't it.

[KosmicCitizen]

Wow. John McCain will sell ANYTHING (ex. his soul.)

This is creative spin. Sinister, but creative. It is a shameless inversion of the truth - It is PRECISELY the failure to have transparency and accountability which makes a nation a "banana republic"!

BANANA REPUBLICS all grow from the fertile soil of cowardliness and lack of principles - an inability to ever tell the truth, or keep a promise, or to actually TAKE the moral high road, rather than just PRETENDING to have it.

Sad.

[thomasjn15]

OJ had an honest opinion...should HE not be investigated?

[flang]

McCain was singing a different tune in 1999.

"It is self-evident to us all, I hope, that we cannot overlook, dismiss or diminish the obstruction of justice by the very person we charge with taking care that the laws are faithfully executed. It is self-evident to me." regarding investigating Clinton.

[sachaput]

I thought when I voted last November that I would see crowded dockets, filled with the members of the Bush Crime Family.  What are we waiting for?

[rasser5]

did he or did he not get tortured ? You would think someone who went through torture would wont someones head not tring to protect theme!!!!!

[Kythma]

You are suppose to arrest the person that committed the crime. If they feel that the lawyers gave them bad advice that got them arrested then they can sue the lawyer for malpractice. If you break the law and get caught, you go to jail. Period.

[domulys]

I don't think this is a wise move by the GOP. Do they think that Americans have a distaste for banana republics? Sounds like a nice vacation to me.

[snipzor]

They say this as if they don't say "ARREST CLINTON" lately (Every single day). As if they don't even say they want Carter to be arrested for no good reason.

Jesus Christ, they don't get it.

[log140]

by toruring ppl usa just recieved the "banana republic" status:-)

maybe i`m wrong, but i guess bush liked to have ppl arround saying "yes" all the time.. so when he asked is torture legal, they said ""yes, my fuhrer"..

[FriedDaisy]

Thank God this man wasn't elected president.

Anyone with normal intelligence understands that experts & scholars are held to a higher standard where their "honest opinion" is concerned; and when their "honest opinion is so WRONG it results in actual harm then they are personally libel for the harm their "honest opinion" caused.

[AstoundedAtheist]

Torture is something a "Banana Republic" would do....

[downwindspiral]

yes of course, lawyers cannot be held liable for their actions,,

and how funny that mccain uses the term banana republic,

a term coined after imperial US interference in sovereign

central and south american nations,,

[Ansonidak]

Hey I have an idea! If people broke the law lets prosecute them!

[cryan71]

But are we better than The Gap?

[SubmarinerAndroid]

Anything's better than the Gap

[CynicalSavior]

It's sickening to hear McCain condone torture....

and if we don't prosecute those who approved it... that's exactly what you're doing.

Country first Mr. McCain? Right.

[junkforkaryn]

a corrupt judiciary making up laws to suit the means of the bush administration's illegal actions is not about giving "an honest opinion", it's about breaking the law. letting this play out in the public eye and giving investigative journalists a chance to redeem themselves after being lap dogs to the bush administration is a brilliant move by obama. they are hungry to get to the truth and the GOP are serving themselves up nicely. give these guys just enough rope.......

[antipyrene]

Apparently party still trumps country for Mr. McCain

[Paintballg0d]

Are you serious? I'm so fucking glad this man is not in control.

[oneofonex1]

sure glad that guy didnt get elected

[carrierexchange]

No one is above the law!

Except Bush, Cheney & CO

[freesoul2005]

Mr McCain, if torture is crime, then who should go behind bars?

Stop the politics, and be an honest man

[Uwiluz60]

There's no crime hear...Another smoke screen that means nothing..I want OUR CHANGE we were told ...Like stop NATION BUILDING...bring the troops home...not 21,000 more in Afgan...Cut out the attachment wasteful spending...Go line by line ...Remember..Call out the Senators that practice this corrupt way of government...Secure our borders...Honor the Constitution...Back our money with something besides Bonds and T-bills sold to China...Don't fall for this smoke screen ! Make them do something !

[WKaliberr]

why the fuck are they comparing war crime trials to a clothing store!?

[ushadrons]

This is not about left and right. This is about right and wrong. Law is law. The law doesn't care about parties. Evil can't be fought with evil. "The only grey area here is how human are the people who condone torture." The Attorney General must follow his job description, investigate and prosecute where crimes are found. The congress must do the same. We must affirm to ouselves and show the rest of the world we are a nation of laws.

[ushadrons]

The following nine were the scapegoated soldiers that were sold down the river by the Bush Administration. They continue to be sold out by all of those who still try to defend the indefensible.... Cpl. Charels A. Graner Jr., Pfc. Lynndie England, Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick II, SPC. Javal S. Davis, Spc. Jeremy Sivits, Spc. Sabrina Harman, Spc. Megan Ambuhl, Spc. Armin J. Cruz Jr., Spc. Roman Krol.... America should be angry that these soldiers have taken all the blame for Abu Ghraib alone.

[ushadrons]

Bring in General Miller and the 24 members of the "Tiger Team", ask them what they were teaching at Abu Ghraib. What contractors were giving orders to enlisted personel? The link between Guantanamo and Abu Gharaib is what the torture advocates are hiding from. All of the politicians in Washington and all the policy makers at the Pentagon that declared "Bad Apples" must be brought to task. Thank God for former Brig. General Janis Karpinski she is going to be very important in this investigation.

[entropyfu]

that should say "and are not subject"

[entropyfu]

This is the old switcheroo. Not investigating would make the US a banana republic.

A banana republic is a country where the elite rule and subject to the same laws as the populace. If the "leaders" of this country are not held responsible for their crimes, then we are by definition a banana republic.

[Liribaenz]

McCains judical conception: If you believe, what you do is legal, the state shouldn't be able to prosecute you!

Like:

"They gave their honest opinion that killing innocent people was legal, why should we prosecute them and the people who followed their advise?"

[13otany13ay]

Wait, arent banana republics about not prosecuting crimes and corruption? Isnt hiding the truth making the US a banana republic. In other terms, its people as McCain that make the US a banana... ah... whatever. A senile old man, thats what he is.

[badgeless]

if waterboarding is not torture then why did the U.S. send a Texas sheriff and 3 deputies to jail for it in 1983? The sheriff got 10 years.

Why were Japanese soldiers convicted of war crimes for waterboarding American soldiers in WW2?

Why was waterboarding designated illegal by U.S. generals in Viet Nam? A U.S. soldier was court marshalled for doing it to a Vietnamese POW.

[RealCaptainAmerica]

I liked him better before he was senile.

[entropyfu]

mr. mccain, now an accessory to war crimes.

[Richardgwm]

A Banana Republic would be a step up from a terrorist state.

[videoguy604]

Well John, I'm sure the Vietcong soldiers who tortured you feel exactly the same way.

[MeanieMuff]

Ummmm What? Is it just me or did that answer not even make any sense?

[cat00012000]

You elect people that do this then we have already become a banana republic, and we need to change back by making people accountable. Quit covering up for them, Johnny.

[robinvan1983]

you know, this must be one of the weakest "avoid the question" answer

[Bosco239]

So much for the Mavrick.

[nekedemus]

(might be??) so now it is finally up.

USA is a banana republic.

Look up the definition.

USA is by definition a banana republic....

[boots920]

Make :

Isn't the US dollar based on the performance of the US Administration ?

Hello - If it looks looks, taste , smells like a Banana Republic and you just just stepped in it, its a Banana Republic only its rotten and it smells bad.

[fcabido]

stuff like this is just to further divide the left and the right so fuck it i agree with him

[integral]

McCain looks less and less attractive the further he burrows back into the Republican dark side.

[incrowdcynic]

I wonder if he's nurturing ideas about a comeback in the next election cycle. Delusional?

[bosanac01]

@incrowdcynic yes. He was old this time around, and he's gonna be older next time. No one wants to vote for him because of his age. It's the truth. Image sells.

[widgit007]

It was my honest opinion ( i really believed it, even if no one else did ) that stealing a car was the right thing to do. I had to do it! You can't prosecute me for a difference of opinion.

[Superplatanoman]

good to see him reading the gop talking point. please, old man. get the fuck out of politics.

[rjanis123]

to the great senator from Arizona ..

point here sir is, a politician, of any caliber that would cause him or her to be anywhere near making decisions on this scale should know International Law. They should know the Geneva Convention, and they should be always mindful of the rule of law.

I'm so glad he lost!

Peace :):)

[notscooter952]

I'd like to think that I speak for all of us when I say:

"F*k off, Mac."

[tonycapricorny]

If an "opinion" is criminally wrong, it doesn't really matter how "honest"ly it was given, now does it?

[DetroitRedWings80]

obama should legalize marijuana now!!!