Which is it?

I wanted to believe in change as much as anyone else. I've been ashamed of my government for a long time, and Obama served up some mighty fine words about accountability and the rule of law.

And yet, when it comes to hiding the offenses of the Bush administration, the Obama administration has rapidly become fully complicit in hiding the admitted war crimes of the previous administration. On Monday, there was a report that Guantanamo, despite the fact that it is about to be closed, has actually become more hellish recently - with hunger strikers being beaten for refusing to eat. Obama has refused to reject the practice of rendition out of hand, and so holds open the door for violating the sovereignty of other nations whenever he feels like it - as he is already in Pakistan.

This is black and white. You either have respect for the rule of law or you don't. Following the rule of law only when it seves your purposes is no respect at all.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• rendition
• Bush
• Rumsfeld
• Cheney
• war
• crimes
• Boeing
• rule
• of
• law
• change
• international
• standing

[funkalunatic]

Also, I know Democracy Now has plenty of formats available to dl the show, but it would be nice if they would put everything on yt so they could get bandied about Web 2.0 style with subscribing and favoriting and video sending. They'd probably get censored though.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

I've often wondered why DN doesn't have an authorized YT presence. They frequently mention the power of things going viral on YT and their importance - such as the postings related to the recent Oscar Grant shooting.

[SkinsDeep]

Gotta admit, he's the best puppet so far. I don't know how he could say "If there were clear instances" with a straight face. He has 8 years of clear instances to pick from...

[OlGreyWolf58]

no there is a difference........... skin color

[funkalunatic]

OH I was being light-hearted, but then I saw an opportunity to be contrarion.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

Maybe it just forecloses one option, or maybe it changes us as a people. I think we do all have blood on our hands, it's just that some of us don't know/deny it, w/ horrible consequences for governance.

I think of modern Germany, no too far in time from the Nazis but, in my opinion, a completely different place, philosophically, due in large part to an open investigation of its activities during WW2. I think that process, painful though I'm sure it was, changed and improved Germany.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

Good points all - I'm certainly not enouraging people to give up, tune out and accept whatever happens. If anything, I'm a bit disheartened that people aren't more serious about protesting. I try ot write a letter/week to one of my reps, and I've resolved to get more involved in local politics this spring or summer, depending on how certain other things in my life work out.

BTW, I though you were being lighthearted in your response, so I just put a response w/out thinking. Good pts, though.

[FeelFreeToArgue]

Well, they did get Capone for tax evasion. At a certain point, I guess you have to say "whatever works."

[onemanband1963]

Look, I realize I am arguing political expediency over principle & I'm aware of the egregious abuses of the Bush Administration. In a perfect world, I'm with you:  investigations commence, an informed & engaged citizenry demands accountability, & justice is rendered. However, that scenario is unlikely to manifest but will be perceived as a partisan tit-for-tat, negating the ability to achieve the greater good on a number of important issues. Only my .02

[neotoy]

I actually favor full disclosure and prosecution to the full extent of the law. But I disagree that any action either for or against will ensure anything for the future.

[neotoy]

You do realize that upon full disclosure it becomes something that all of us living in the US will have to live with. The blood will be on our hands so to speak.

[Capitalocracy]

exactly, it's not enough to "look forward"

[Capitalocracy]

haha I actually agree, but it sounds funny, right? we've got war criminals for presidents, we should be removing them from the white house, but we're removing them from our facebook