Is pardoning the torturers a bad thing?

[baalboy5]

Recently Obama announced that he would pardon CIA operatives who tortured people because they thought it was allowed.

 

 

 

WOAH, in the U.S.A the President gets to deal with criminals and there are no court hearings? Damn, here in Canada our PM doesn't decide squat about what happens in the court cases the Judges and Jury do. Obama ftl.

 

 

 

Dude the 'pardon' thing has been around since the dawn of presidency.

 

A example is that Nixon was pardoned. Did you know that?

[michel555555]

What did the CIA do that was wrong? They were "torturing" terrorists because they had information that could kill people. I hate to ask this again, but how is "water boarding" or slapping someone in the face torture? Why is the OP calling the CIA "torturers?" Has anyone heard of Josef Mengele? That man experimented on Jews imprisoned in all sorts of horrible ways that make anything the CIA does look G-rated at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

 

 

 

i hate people like you. Unless you actually experiance drowning yourself you have no right to try to argue that it is not torture. i have almost drowned, it IS torture!

 

 

 

I believe Godwins Law pretty much takes care of any arguments for not prosicuting them. Aside from that theres also the fact that if they let this pass the united states will no longer be able to critisize other countries that torture and ignore human rights.

[Da_Latios]

Pardoned? They should be getting medals.

 

At first I smiled, and then I slapped myself.

[i_love_burritos]

Pardoned? They should be getting medals.

 

At first I smiled, and then I slapped myself.

 

 

 

For some reason, I can't explain, but I actaully like Robert.

 

 

 

In that morally reprehensible, sick sick twisted way. Much in the way like Rebdragon makes me laugh and cry. Interesting to see a fresh "outlook" on things. Not saying that I agree, or disagree for that matter, but still.

 

 

 

And also, enough of goddamn Godwin's Law. I get it. No need for you to stuff an 20 year old USENET "thing" down my throat. Nothing wrong with that, but on average it gets mentioned about 5 times a page.

 

 

 

And going again ON GODWIN'S LAW, this thread is going to be loooong.

 

 

 

So enough of it. Please.

[ElkNight]

Pardoned? They should be getting medals.

 

I can't tell if your being serious or trying to troll.

 

Or both. :lol:

 

But yeah, it reminds me of that one rule (or law or whatever) about following orders.

 

I dont really know all of it so I dont really know, but they probably shouldnt get away with all of it, at least some form of punishment.

[Bloodstain]

 

The CIA has confirmed that the torture saved lives.

 

 

 

The CIA confirmed that the torture prevented a major attack on L.A

 

>

 

 

 

Sup

 

 

 

Care to link any evidence for this? Or any evidence that they tried methods before resorting to torture? Because I'm betting you can't find any

[Nero]

Yep. In the long run this'll screw over the US.

[Bloodstain]

I support a Truth Commission over a trial for a couple of reasons.

 

 

 

1.) Under a truth commission, we'll know everything that happened.

 

2.) Under a truth commission, we'll give them one final chance to admit that what they did was wrong, that it did not work, and they might apologize.

 

3.) Under a truth commission, I expect them to lie and/or hide something that they did, or of the results.

 

4.) Under a truth commission, lying and/or hiding something will result in prosecutions.

 

 

 

I demand action of some sort, but ultimately that's not Obama's call; it's Holder's. This is why I believe Obama "opposes prosecution and wants to move on;" he stays above the fray, and lets Holder and the Dept. of Justice take the heat. I mean, the AG was ALWAYS supposed to be out of the political sphere, but Bush politicized crimes (as can be seen with Jane Harman). This is also the downside of prosecuting: the risk of it being politicized.

 

 

 

This is why ever since those brutal memos have been released that I have been lobbying my Congressman and Senators. I should ask that all of you do the same: (CLICK).

 

 

 

Now, a truth commission goes after the real heart of justice: restorative justice. We need our law restored. Some will argue that in order for the law to be restored that we must have retributive justice, which could be true depending on an investigation.

 

 

 

Steps that I'd like to have:

 

 

 

1.) An investigation and a truth commission

 

2.) A firing of all CIA officials that "legally" participated in torture

 

3.) CIA officials that acted outside of the OLC memos should be subject to prosecution if it comes down to it, and it seems that some of them did act outside of the "legal" advice of the OLC

 

4.) Impeachment of Jay Bybee

 

5.) Prosecution of all of the "higher ups" that authorized this legal advice, and the ones that wanted it in the first place; Bybee, Bradbury, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

This post isn't getting enough love. I love truth commissions and they're just an all around great idea

[Alg]

I'd think the argument that the torturers were "Just following orders" works. If they're going to go after anyone, go after those that *authorized* the use of torture as a priority. Pardon those only if they can find solid proof that lives were saved as a result of it.

 

The Truth Commission sounds like a good idea, though.