Will the Bush administration be tried for torture?

Im listening to the ever growing news coverage of the release of the torture memos, and now photos.
I heard a news caster tell of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and others who are being listed as being directly responsible for the authorization to torture inmates in both Iraq and Cuba.

So the 800 pound gorilla is, does this mean they are preparing the public for an inevitable indictment against these people? and if so what is the penalty for a guilty verdict? Could we possibly see an entire administration be tried, convicted and possibly placed in prison or even executed?

What type of message does this send to the world?
If we do nothing does that make the world even angrier at America for allowing torture and the freedom of those responsible?
If we act and end up sentencing an entire presidential administration to prison or execution, does the world see that as an act of good faith or a sign that America has fallen and its leaders are out of control?

reply to post by robwerden


I so want to reply without the risk of making one liner.

Will they be prosecuted?

When pigs fly!

There is no way a former president will be prosecuted for his actions in office.

Not only will no president want to open that can of worms, but it also opens the door for prosecutions every 4-8 years.

Not going to happen.

I think that in the case of crimes against humanity a trial would be justified. But I also agree with both of you that it would indeed open up the door to bogus law suits and criminal charges.

The thing is though those bogus things already happen now and have been for many administrations. They just get thrown out of court before going to trial. If this situation is bogus im sure it will be thrown out just like the hundreds of others. If there is truth to it though and a court judge sees merrit, it could go further. In reality it all depends on how much public out cry there is and how much media attention it gets. The world is watching.

Congress was apparently briefed on these "tortures"

Will congress also be tried?

Somehow, I doubt that anyone will be tried.

My guess would also be that the republicans have a lot of dirt on their colleagues in the Democratic party.

Should any actual trial look like it's actually going to happen, I'll bet your going to see a lot of Democrats suddenly involved in scandals. First a few as warnings. If the warnings aren't enough, more and more politicians of both parties will fall. It could be a blood bath and neither party wants that.

So politicians will do what politicians do best, talk, bluster, make motions but actually do nothing.

If anything they will find the usual mid level scapegoat..some poor slob that was following bad orders and crucify the poor guys, or gals.

Should they be brought up on charges, absolutely. I just don't see them setting a precedent for this to happen every time the new boys don't like what the old boys do. With all the foul crap Obama is doing he of all people should be terrified to see a president called to a criminal account.

Then again since he is trying to get less rights for those arrested, maybe he should go under interrogation. I hate that guy now!

The short answer is NO, they will not be tried. One government, two heads.

NOTHING IS GOING TO BE CLEANED UP (other than your wallets as usual)

Nothing will change for the better, see below - secret abductions still sanctioned, secret prisons, indefinite detention, patriot act, Nafta

As we expected, the BUSH 3rd term continues, new guy behind the teleprompter, same corruption.

www.aclu.org...

blog.aclu.org...

www.youtube.com...

The following can be attributed to Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union:

"Hope is flickering. The Obama administration's position is not change. It is more of the same. This represents a complete turn-around and undermining of the restoration of the rule of law. The new American administration shouldn't be complicit in hiding the abuses of its predecessors."

[edit on 24-4-2009 by infolurker]

reply to post by robwerden


This is a classic mis direction, they release these memos to get americans all pissed off, while the other hand that you dont see does somethin that would totally bring down the roof.

reply to post by robwerden


no becaus e they would have to try the entire congress and they wont vote to try them selves. polose or how ever you spell the witches name came out and admited they were breifed on the methoids used to gain information and oked it, the democrats are just as much to plame as the republicans. these threads are stupid to me because people only look at one side and never the whole truth. liberal polititions oked it. the same ones who earlier said how wrong it was. seems a little funny to me.

reply to post by robwerden


1. President Obama wants this to go away, but the progressive (liberal) wing of the party will not let it.

2. It now appears that the Administration signed off on these memos before they were written. (we're going to do it, justify it somehow)

3. Former VP Cheney knows he will not be prosecuted, otherwise he would keep quiet on the whole matter.

4. One pundit has stated that if any prosecution attempts are tried right now, the flow of information coming out would be halted for legal reasons.

5. This is a highly emotional issue that goes down to the core of what the United States stands for. Many on the right, left and middle are furious as to what happened.

At least the Republicans are now using the word torture to describe the techniques done to the prisoners. This problem makes the US seem just like the two bit dictatorships of third world countries we make ourselves to be better than. This problem is one that neither Administration can sweep away no matter how hard they try.

This is the time where we need to see that the Justice Department is independent of the Presidency, and starts the proceedings for a grand jury indictment.

reply to post by robwerden


I don't think so, as long as they have BIll O'Reilly shouting at everyone who wants an investigation:

Will Bush's Administration be brought up on Charges? I do think that some of his Cabinet and Staff will. (The "scapegoat" reference is a good analogy too...throw the people a token bone and they'll stop begging for the roast.)

Will Bush & Cheney be brought up Charges? Not in the United States, and even if a Congressional Committee pursued action through the DOJ, and they were found of Treason or Perjury, the President would most likely give them a Presidential Pardon.

Will Bush & Cheney be brought up on War Charges or Crimes Against Humanity by the World Court? Unlikely, but this would be the only avenue where true Justice would be served. The President's Pardon cannot extend to the World Court in the Hague, and both the President and Congress wouldn't want to go toe to toe with the International Community after trying so hard to restore faith in US Diplomatic Relations worldwide. Besides, it would absolve both the President and Congress with the burden and guilt of trying former Executive Branch Officials themselves. It's just a matter of whether the World Court is brave enough to stand up to the US at this juncture.

I'm not too hot on the idea of bringing up former Executive Branch Officials on Trial for the choices, good or bad, that they made. It sets an ugly precedent and makes us look bad. On the other hand, no bad deed should ever go unpunished and US Politicians and the world at large need to be shown that in the US, we are all equals and no one is above the Law, not even the President or his appointed Staff. An example has to be made lest our future Government Officials begin to think that they can abuse their powers and get away with murder, torture, war, unlawful imprisonment of it's own citizens, or whatever other crimes they may dream to commit.

Someone has to do it. The question is simply a matter of who has the balls to do it?

Didn't the United States also send a few enlisted personnel up the river for torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib? Didn't a female brigadier general get forced to retire or be demoted for this? Here is an interview with retired Brigadier General Janis Karpinski:

www.msnbc.msn.com...

Here is what the top JAG of each of the armed forces has to say:

www.msnbc.msn.com...

It was President Nixon who stated that if the President does something, it is not against the law. The question should be if people think the President, like King Louis XIV of France, is above the law?

I am one to say no.

It'll never happen, he was a president and they were his general staff.
They probably made a secret law to protect them in case ths would happen. Besides he hase the Free Masons, Illuminati, and the Skull & Bones society protecting him.

If the Obama administration proceeds with investigations and prosecutions of Bush administration officials for actions that did not violate any existing US laws, then they are setting a very dangerous precedent that will ultimately come back to haunt them.

[edit on 24-4-2009 by riff_raff]

[edit on 24-4-2009 by riff_raff]