Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Our Government Tortured Hundreds of People to Death and President Obama is Trying to Cover It Up

The most recent revelations about our military, intelligence agencies and private contractors torturing prisoners to death during the Bush administration are coming to light this week. Harpers Magazine published an article Monday by civil rights attorney Scott Horton, titled The Guantanamo "Suicides": A Camp Delta Sergeant Blows the Whistle. Here's Horton on MSNBC's Countdown yesterday evening: Link

Back in May 2009, Progressive Alaska detailed the homicides of several other detainees by American forces in a three-part series, which was partially a response to coverage of this issue then by progressive blogs. Looking back, we felt that the Obama administration might sensibly prosecute those who murdered. That's what is supposed to happen when somebody murders somebody else and there are witnesses and evidence:


Our Government Tortured Lots of People to Death - Part One

Our Government Tortured Lots of People to Death - Part Two

Our Government Tortured Lots of People to Death - Part Three

The Best Blogs for Information on the Torture Debate

Glenn Greenwald
has been writing about his increasing disappointment in the Obama administration's refusal to prosecute or even thoroughly investigate these serious charges:

The single biggest lie in War on Terror revisionist history is that our torture was confined only to a handful of "high-value" prisoners. New credible reports of torture continuously emerge. That's because America implemented and maintained a systematic torture regime spread throughout our worldwide, due-process-free detention system. There have been
at least 100 deaths of detainees in American custody who died during or as the result of interrogation. Gen. Barry McCaffrey said: "We tortured people unmercifully. We probably murdered dozens of them during the course of that, both the armed forces and the C.I.A." Gen. Antonio Taguba said after investigating the Abu Ghraib abuses and finding they were part and parcel of official policy sanctioned at the highest levels of the U.S. Government, and not the acts of a few "rogue" agents: "there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account."

Greenwald goes on:

Incidents like this dramatically underscore what can only be called the grotesque immorality of the "Look Forward, Not Backwards" consensus which our political class -- led by the President -- has embraced. During the Bush years, the United States government committed some of the most egregious crimes a government can commit. They plainly violated domestic law, international law, and multiple treaties to which the U.S. has long been a party. Despite that, not only has President Obama insisted that these crimes not be prosecuted, and not only has his Justice Department made clear that -- at most -- they will pursue a handful of low-level scapegoats, but far worse, the Obama administration has used every weapon it possesses to keep these crimes concealed, prevent any accountability for them, and even venerated them as important "state secrets," thus actively
preserving the architecture of lawlessness and torture that gave rise to these crimes in the first place.

From what directions can pressure be applied upon the President to do his sworn job in this matter? I'm considering trying to get prominent anti-torture blogs to petition all 50 of the individual states' Democratic Party structures with petitions asking them to include provisions for demanding prosecution for torture and murder for consideration at each individual state's upcoming 2010 convention.


image - Darkblack

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have been following Horton and Greewald's articles which are always so well documented. Though I am so thankful to these people, you included, for their effort to denounce torture, today I feel that the this country is going the way so many previous empires went, crashing. Human values, what is suposed to make us thinking and thoughtful being, are flushed down some deep stinking pit in favor or greed and power. Sad.
Nevertheless, your idea is excellent! Go get it.

Anonymous said...

While it doesn't make us feel any better and won't make you feel better Phil, I firmly believe in time Obama's administration will do the right thing.

I am of the belief that with the many pressing matters dumped on this admin mostly the economy and getting it back on track means these issues have to wait.

I've been following this too and want justice. I want people to answer for what they've done. I want them to answer for what they've made these soldiers do, witness and hide.

But, I believe all other issues would cease to matter if the Obama administration opened all of this for us to see at this time. I also believe this is far bigger than we can imagine Phil and that means we need to give them time to do the research.

America is already once again (not that we were ever healed)dividing over race, religion, war, etc. We'd have a civil war here over this and right now we can't manage another distraction.

The bible verses on guns, same thing. I know it will be addressed by his admin and will be stopped but I guarantee he will be again accused of being a muslim who is backing the muslims instead of the christians. It will all turn into this.

Obama has a deep moral compass, he truly does, but he's also now privvy to things that turned that hair white overnight. I imagine he's been and is horrified at some of what his admin has discovered and passed on, but we first have to get some other things back on track before he can address.

I truly hope and believe he won't leave the white house with this matter unaddressed, but we have to be realistic. He's one man overseeing several people let alone a gazillion big and small issues and it takes time.

This isn't like a regular job where 30-90 days in you've got it down pat.

That said thanks for the discussion. But keep the faith Phil, Obama is a man of morals and this certainly wears on his soul. I don't imagine he'll be able to deny this or deal with this but in due time.

Anonymous said...

How dare America fight its enemies, eh ? Sadly for PA and the rest of the anti-American Left, the vast majority of the American people disagree with you. We're in a war that you want us to lose..we'll it ain't gonna happen.

Anonymous said...

Can we stop the Obama machine ? Ask Scott Brown....YES WE CAN ! YES WE CAN !! YES WE CAN !!!

Anonymous said...

Typical of this bitter,old blog that "dozens of torture deaths" (all hearsay , of course) becomes "Hundreds of deaths". This is like the Leftist B.S. that claimed millions of Iraqis had died since the Liberation Of Iraq. All lies, of course, in a desperate attempt to demoralize the American people as we fight against the evils of Islamist terrorism.

Whether it's the left crying that drones are saving American lives and killing too many terrorists or liberal lawyers making money by giving enemy combatants civilian trials or the NYT leaking secrets to the enemy, it's becoming all too obvious that the Progressive agenda is to leave America defenseless.

Anonymous said...

Obama goes to Virginia...FAIL !

Obama goes to New Jersey.....FAIL !

Obama goes to Massachusetts...FAIL !

How do those Tea Bags taste now ???

Anonymous said...

"We probably murdered dozens of them"

We "probably" murdered dozens ! Is "Probably" really the hook on which to hang these charges. I think y'all on the Left fail to realize that we're in a war to the finish against those who would destroy us. It was noticeable that one of the biggest cheers of the night at Scott Brown's victory speech tonight was for these comments..

“When dealing with terrorists our tax dollars should pay for weapons to stop these terrorists – not lawyers to defend them. The Constitution and laws exist to protect this nation and its citizens. They do not grant rights and privileges to enemies in wartime.”

AKPetMom said...

I went back and read all of your linked blog comments for at least the second time and I was shocked all over again.

What do we do as a people, as humans, to stop the WAR MACHINE? That's where I break down because it's not our government any longer it's become a group of American Government Sanctioned Pirates that provide some of these services "under the table".

This crazy christian train is running full steam to not only ruin our nation but take down other nations for absolutely no good reason. (except for perhaps the PROFIT)

How can we stop it, I'd like to know because it's sickening and disturbing. We are killing innocent people in the name of a god that many of us don't believe in. What are we doing it for? Is it a holy crusade for the christian god or is it for oil and securing oil pipeline routes thru muslim regions?

I'm to the point where I feel that all of my political representatives don't really have my best interests in mind and they certainly don't "have my back". I know for sure that the warmongers and I have nothing in common; there is no common ground with my objective in life and theirs. Many people are selling out their peace of mind and their value as a person when pursuing this route of torture and persecution of innocent people.

That being said, I still don't know what a little thinking and concerned person in Wasilla, Alaska could possibly do to make it stop or even make it a little better.

AKPetMom said...

Hmm, Teabagger Man or Woman, how do those Teabags taste now? You asked that in your previous comment right?

Well, teabags taste great after being steeped with some very hot water for a few minutes.

Teabagging is also very pleasurable both to the bagger and baggee, if the mood is right.

The Teabagger movement, well, that makes me GAG worse than teabagging my guy ever did!

(Sorry Phil, had to get that out of my system...hairball perhaps, not sure, but felt good to type it)

Anonymous said...

"We are killing innocent people in the name of a god that many of us don't believe in. What are we doing it for? Is it a holy crusade for the christian god or is it for oil and securing oil pipeline routes thru muslim regions?"

How do you know they're innocent ? Or are all terrorists "innocent" in your crazed mind ?
Where does it say anywhere that they are being killed in the name of God ? Seems like you're making stuff up.
"holy crusade"....you've been reading too much Islamic propaganda.
What pipelines did you have in mind ? Care to share their names with us or is this something you read on Daily KOs.
Do you read anything about what terrorists are doing to their own people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan ? You obviously have more sympathy for those scum who plant bombs in market places then you do for Americans.

"That being said, I still don't know what a little thinking and concerned person in Wasilla,"

"a little thinking..person"

You said it, sister !

Anonymous said...

"The Teabagger movement, well, that makes me GAG worse than teabagging my guy ever did!"

If, in your own puerile way, you're referring to the Tea Party Movement then you're gonna be gagging a lot more once the Mid-terms come around.
Meantime, we Americans are still celebrating the triumph of the independent voter over Obama's Chicago Machine. Score one for the people ...GO SCOTT BROWN !!!

Anonymous said...

Isn't Scott Brown the "porn" star who appeared with not even a hockey stick in the centerfold of Playgirl???? I hear he's going by the nickname "Ricky Washington" these days. No wonder why $P commented on his "truck." Wink wink...

Anonymous said...

P.S. I bet good ole Scott Brown has done some teabaggin' in his time...what a way to name that third party. No wonder why Palin has jumped on board so enthusiastically! It's hilarious that the Teabaggers changed their name to Tea Party since they were too darned dumb to realize what they'd named themselves originally. LOL

Anonymous said...

"Isn't Scott Brown the "porn" star who appeared with not even a hockey stick in the centerfold of Playgirl???? "

Poor, bitter little Leftists...they can't get anything right, can they ?
It was that well known "porn magazine" (pause for laughter) Cosmopolitan....and it was only "porn" if you consider being without clothes "porn". Get a clue.

Anonymous said...

"too darned dumb"

Yep, so "dumb" that they just took the "Kennedy seat" despite Obama and Clinton and Kerry and Olbermann and the rest of the Dem media begging Massachusetts to vote Democrat !!! Yes we can !!!

Anonymous said...

Get a clue...it's not just the leftists who think Palin and her teabaggin' zombies are crooks, hypocrites and just plain nuts. Lots of independents and conservatives think it, too. LOL

Anonymous said...

."it's not just the leftists who think Palin and her teabaggin' zombies are crooks, hypocrites and just plain nuts. Lots of independents and conservatives think it, too."

Yep, you keep sayin' that to yourself and everything will be alright. Don't let reality intrude into your fantasy.

Makabit Bat Guriel said...

Watch out Gusty! The black helicopters are coming to getcha!
Probably have a pack of rabid Zionist flying them!
*laughing*