Monday, July 26, 2010

“Investigate torture or face road to ‘tyranny’”

That’s what New York Representative Jerrold Nadler warned about in reference to the Obama administration’s refusal to thoroughly investigate and prosecute the crimes committed by the Bush administration in the aftermath of September 11, 2001:

A New York Democrat argued that failing to prosecute former Bush administration officials complicit in the use of torture would create a dangerous precedent and place America on a path to "tyranny."

In an interview with Raw Story, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) invoked a "supremacy of laws" when critiquing President Barack Obama’s decision to "look forward and not backwards" on his predecessor’s abuses of power.

"Those who misuse government power to break the law and subject people to improper pressure or torture ought to be prosecuted," said Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. "That’s why we have laws."

[…]

The Obama administration has declined to launch an investigation into illegal activities carried out during the Bush administration -- such as the practice of waterboarding, which is widely considered a form of torture, on terror suspects.

"If you don’t prosecute, or if you don’t investigate, then what you’re saying is government can do anything," Nadler argued. "And that’s a formula for tyranny. So I think it’s very important." As for looking forward and not backwards? "By that standard you’d never prosecute any crime."

White House officials and some analysts fear that a drawn-out investigation, which would be virulently fought by Republicans, would drain the capacity of Democrats to advance their domestic agenda.

Nadler argues that to sustain a democracy, it's vitally important to hold lawmakers accountable for their crimes – even more so than with private citizens. "People who break the law, ought to be held accountable," he said, "especially if they’re in government, because they have more power."

Wise words.  Alas, we’ll never see neither Bush nor Cheney prosecuted for their crimes, nor any of their minions.  A loss for the rule of law indeed.

No comments: