Obama - Don't Fuck This Up

[lame54]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17317.html

Barack Obama suggested he's not likely to actively pursue criminal charges against national security officials who were directly involved in unlawful interrogations or wire-tapping, and said it would be difficult to quickly close down Guantanamo Bay...

"We're still evaluating how we're going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions, and so forth," he said. "And obviously we're going to be looking at past practices, and I don't believe that anybody is above the law.

"On the other hand, I also have a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards. And part of my job is to make sure that for example at the CIA, you've got extraordinarily talented people who are working very hard to keep Americans safe. I don't want them to suddenly feel like they've got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders and lawyering." ...

Pressed, Obama said twice more that he wanted to get "things right in the future, as opposed looking at what we got wrong in the past."

Asked specifically about the idea of a "9/11 Commission with independent subpoena power" to look at torture and warrantless wiretapping during the Bush years, Obama said, "We have not made final decisions, but my instinct is for us to focus on how do we make sure that moving forward we are doing the right thing. That doesn't mean that if somebody has blatantly broken the law, that they are above the law. But my orientation's going to be to move forward."

[derby378]

1. He needs to dwell on his statement that nobody is above the law

You can't build a shiny new "city on the hill" on top of foundations that are shaky, swampy, or unstable. The city will quickly crumble into ruins unless you do something about the foundations in the first place.

I know Obama is talking about "moving forward" in terms of new job markets, healthcare reforms, and trying to get a handle on our runaway debt. But on his drive down the highway to national prosperity, he'd better check the rearview mirror, otherwise something could come out of nowhere and ruin his day.

[madokie]

2. I think its as much don't spook 'em as it is anything

unless he is ready to demand arrest and I'm not sure that he could even do that, then the smart thing in this case, especially, is to not show his hand. Saying that, I read in what he has said that he will make sure we do this right. Right in this case doesn't belong to any one person, it belongs to us all. Whats right is whats right, nothing else to it. imo

[ThomWV]

3. Isn't that odd, I want the CIA to constantly have to look over its shoulder to insure legality

[Dhalgren]

4. The entire Bush team are off the hook.

Can't we all just get along? That's the mantra of the new Imperial administration. "What's behind me is not important!" No one is above the law, except for all the criminals in the previous administration. Oh, come on! They killed a few thousand unimportant people, they stole a few hundred billion dollars, they ruin the future of the country (like it was going to be worth shit, anyway) - what's the big deal? You have to break a few eggs; it's all spilled milk; bygones be bygones; no harm no foul; right?

So we close Gitmo in a few years, we still got Baghram. So we still have troops in Iraq by the end of 2013, big deal, they have to be somewhere. So the tax breaks for the filthy rich won't be repealed, so what? It's not like the "Deltas" could do anything with any more cash.

Promises made during the election? What, are you joking? You actually believed all that hokum? Come on...

:rofl:

:rofl:

:rofl:

[AndyA]

5. Jonathan Turley said that Obama will be culpable if he ignores Bushco's crimes.

Few can argue with that opinion, and I don't think Barack is willing to risk his future to cover up for Bushco. I could be wrong, but I still believe Barack is going to do the right thing.

If he doesn't go after Bush, he becomes part of the problem, and he will prove that his statement of bringing change was all a lie. He becomes as bad as Bushco at that point.

[lame54]

6. .