Obama: triangulating on torture?
Raise your hand if you remember triangulation. Now lower it again if you think I'm talking about mathematics.
No, what I'm thinking of is the technique introduced by Bill Clinton, and then enthusiastically adopted by Tony Blair, of deciding on a political posture by reference to the two extreme positions. They called it the Middle Way, or the Third Way, and for a time, it served them well.
The reason I ask is that I've begun to wonder if Barack Obama might be a secret triangulator. Yes, Mr No-Drama Obama, Mr Über-Cool - could he be?
Consider his position on what to do about the authorisation and use of "enhanced interrogation techniques" by the Bush administration on alleged terrorism suspects.
First, it was clear enough: "I regard what happened as illegal and immoral, but I want to look forward not back, so I am not in favour of prosecuting anyone who might have been involved." (I paraphrase.)
Then came a wobble: "I am not in favour of prosecuting any CIA official who may have been involved in actually using the 'enhanced' techniques, but I leave open the question of prosecuting former administration officials who authorised their use, which is something for the attorney-general to decide." (I paraphrase again.)
(By the way, if you've been wondering which officials exactly might have been involved, US Senate documents released this week suggest they include former vice-president Dick Cheney, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, and White House counsel Alberto Gonzales.)
And then last night, another wobble, from the attorney-general, Eric Holder: "I will not permit the criminalisation of policy differences. However, it is my responsibility as Attorney General to enforce the law." (A direct quote this time.)
Which leaves things unclearer than ever. So what's going on? Are we observing the return of the triangulator? Is Mr Obama trying to find a middle way between his Democratic Party colleagues in Congress (who are themselves split on how to handle this issue), and the Republicans who are already accusing him of selling out the country's intelligence services?
Like all Democrats, Mr Obama knows that his right-wing critics are just waiting to pounce on any suggestion that he might be "soft on national security". But he needs to keep his colleagues on Capitol Hill happy as well, because he's going to need them big time when it comes to voting through proposals on health care reform.
The President likes to portray himself as a uniter rather than a divider. Throughout his campaign, and since his inauguration, he has tried to emphasise what Americans agree on, not what they disagree on.
But sometimes, it looks as if his instincts don't serve him too well. During his election campaign, when he was engulfed in controversy over remarks by his Chicago pastor, Jeremiah Wright, he thought at first that some soft soothing words would make it all go away. They didn't. So he had to toughen up his response and disown Mr Wright.
Similarly the row over bonuses paid to the insurance giant AIG after it had been bailed out by US tax-payers. At first he thought the bonuses weren't a serious issue. But they were - so again, he had to toughen up his response.
Being cool is fine when everyone is happy with you being cool. But sometimes voters like to see their leaders getting tough on issues they care about. I'm not sure President Obama has quite decided yet how tough voters want him to be on "enhanced interrogation techniques".
Nevertheless, I very much doubt that there will be any prosecutions. I also doubt that there'll be a formal commission of inquiry, although some senior Democrats are pressing for one. On Wednesday night's programme, Josh Gerstein of the political news website Politico told me that what the argument is really about is who will make the decision that there won't be any prosecutions. Click below to hear the interview.
(Broadcast on The World Tonight, BBC Radio 4, 22 April 2009)
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~05~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
Very true in the fact Obama likes to portray himself as a uniter rather than a divider but I agree that there will be no prosecutions at all
-Mike
Fleshlight
Complain about this comment
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]To all those soft on torture, you act as accomplice to subversion of law and war treatises and are weak and cowardly in the face of war criminals, whomever their daddy's were or what country they dishonor, you are a disgrace to all men of honor who have died to promote truth and justice. For shame, below a note to a man exposing the crimes of our governments.
Dear Lt. Col. Joseph H. Kress,
First, I salute your service in the armed forces to give me the rights and liberties my children and I enjoy! Second, I salute your continued service to the People, even in retirement, as it is men of honor like you, who remind me of another hero of mine, Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, who may again save our country from the terrorists within. Through efforts to expose the People to Truth, so as they may do as it with they will, hopefully overthrowing a secret cultish regime plaguing our world and threatening our Constitution, I cannot thank you enough. Truth to Power is the key and salvation for the People. You give me strength, purpose, and a determination in our values that I am proud of, if necessary willing to die defending, as is also my duty as a citizen to act, when government corrupts against the People.
Our country now in shambles from these shameless Elitists, not elite earned through valor or honor or good and honest business, but suffering from the psychotic delusion of Elitism that manifests itself in Delusions of Grandeur elitists, their power inherited power and as such, they are truly powerless, mere Wizards of Oz. Most needing to have their fathers dummy up military documents to cover-up that they were draft dodgers not warriors, not men willing to die for the Constitution, Democracy and Freedom, more like the powers we left in England long ago of spoiled rotten third or fourth generation Kings, who mistreat the mass, leaving to form a more Perfect Union. This time the spoiled boys club went too far and was caught in war crimes and wars of aggression and no matter whom your daddy or grandpappy was, you should and will, be tried, convicted and punished. No one above the law, the President nor his men.
Perfect Union, perhaps not and perhaps there was always a seedy underbelly, a spoiled rotten part of society but overall our nation was the most fantastic nation ever for freedom, sure, we had some dark secrets. Our military worldwide, until secret cults began to manipulate the country treasonously into wars of aggression, etc., could hang its hat high and our sons of war could walk the earth in the most esteemed fashion virtually everywhere, as the most Just force, saviors of the world from the tyranny of evil men. Shamefully now, all that is gone with Bush, well gone when the cults actually seized the US government in Bush v. Gore in a power grab modeled on Adolph Hitler’s and they then began a heavy saturation of the government with cult members, whereas prior, the cults influence had been modest and small, a President here and there.
Americans aligned with Nazi Ideology, in America, come on? Why would one want to align with one of the biggest historical losers? Americans modeling themselves after Hitler, breeding and inbreeding in our Ivy League Schools and this is what our best and brightest came up with for the future of America, a New World Order of Nazis. Excuse me, again they were not the best and brightest through earning such stature, their degrees and titles were bought in almost all cases, so with so much free time, this does not surprise me that these spoiled rotten children concocted a world domination scheme to keep the trust funds flush. So rob and rape, like the Pirates they name themselves after, plunging our country into moral bankruptcy and chaos.
After seizing the Presidency in Bush v. Gore where the Supreme Court picked for us our worst President ever (they should be fired for the pick alone), in a 5-4 vote that usurped the Peoples vote they thereby eliminated Democracy. The Supreme Court is what the traitorous cults first began stacking, with every presidential candidate they put in power new appointments were added and once they controlled it, they went for the power grab. There was another factor at that instant in time in 1999, a very inventive factor worth a Trillion Dollars, whereby lawyers deeply involved in these cults, including Joseph Proskauer’s law firm, Proskauer stooge to JP Morgan in the Business Plot to kill FDR, got caught stealing patents and robbing the US Patent Office, the heart of free commerce. Their partner in that crime, Foley & Lardner an IP firm in Wisconsin, run by Michael Grebe, also RNC chief counsel and with everything to lose, these law firms, to head off judicial complaints against their firms and themselves, needed to steal the Presidency and block due process by removing Justice to my claims.
From there the fox was in the henhouse, a pattern that closely followed Hitler’s rise followed with first the Reichstag Fire or today’s Trade Centers. Onto the Enabling Act, or today’s Patriot Act, written by unpatriotic guys whom never served but dressed up in military fatigues and landed on decks with real soldiers. To the removal of Habeas rights that both Hitler and Bush achieved, instantly removing law entirely. Then they went on to the big crimes, like Wars Of Aggression, Torture, Concentration Camps (Gitmoschwitz and Abu and Black Sites), to world destabilization of financial markets and here we now sit on the brink of fascism again, in need of heroes of freedom from AmeriNazi’s. Not all Germans this time but a mix of breeds of greed of all shapes and colors, willing to sell out their kind for a perceived ride on the gravy train, infiltrating the Repubs and Dems equally, sabotaging every agency they gained control of. I again salute you Sir for your continued valor on my behalf to bring the current traitors to light.
Yet, now my children have to live with the horrors of what our country has done, not only to others but also to our very soldiers (using them for chemical experiments in Gulf 1&2), we now look like Nazi’s complete with images and video of torture that will forever stain our great nation. We must this time try these elitists for TREASON, not just war crimes and this time achieve what Butler did not when he exposed the Business Plot. Butler was rushed to expose the plot before the assassination attempts could succeed on FDR, without enough proof to prosecute but enough to stop them dead in their tracks, and almost get them tried for treason in the McCormick Dickstein hearings, Butler set them back 50 years.
This time they were not so lucky, they were caught doing war crimes while in office. The evidence is well saturated throughout the world, their secret is no longer a secret, their names are known, their companies are known, and they have committed the acts. Not merely were they in the planning phase like in the Business Plot, where there was only intent and no act other than intent to support treason at such high level, this time they actually seized power for the treasonous coup and executed a mass of crimes. Therefore, we must prosecute all those involved, not only Bush down but also all those who backed Bush in the secret cabals, the co-conspirators and then we must take their companies and assets under the Trading with Enemy provisions. The booty divided back up to the People, of course with mass bonus to the military and vets who suffered some of the worst of these monsters atrocities, to the victor goes the spoils and we probably would not need any Tarp or other funds to saddle our children and future to their debtitude.
Our country now depends on one thing, prosecution of those involved in the conspiracy to Commit Treason at every single level, with no truth commission amnesty, according to military law, the laws of the US and World Treatises on Warfare. Any who stand in the way and try to subvert the law to allow leniency or amnesty, including the President or Attorney General, should be tried with the conspirators for giving comfort to the enemy, aiding and abetting the enemy, more aptly the Terrorists Within, especially where proven cult relations exist between those attempting to pardon in anyway these crimes. Now, if there were soldiers who were misled and did not have lawyers to interpret the new law, I mean secret memos, and did not join in the actions under true premise, then Sir, we shall be obligated to grant them full pass and have compassion for them. They too must still be tried but not convicted, vindicated through trial and then they will be free of the demons that will haunt them. If Justice is denied they will remain like many Vietnam soldiers deeply disturbed at no fault of their own. With conviction of the guilty comes freedom of the innocents.
If there were soldiers at any level who knew of the contrived memos and other crimes and voluntarily acted to misdirect other soldiers to torture, than they shall have to be tried as War Criminals and no leniency should be granted. As we move up the chain, to those who actively subverted law and the Constitution and gave orders to follow their new laws, they should be tried for Treason and additionally as War Criminals. Then we should grab all the members of the established cults who plotted this, at night whilst they sleep, include members of Congress, the courts and legal profession that allowed this and take them into a Military Commission and Court of Law for trial under law for Treason and other high crimes and misdemeanors. No matter if their names end Rothschild, Rockefeller, Bush, Cheney, etc., they must be tried to the fullest extent of the law, with courts not run by other cult members. If they are guilty they shall be hanged and their assets seized and good riddance.
There can be no other way, our future as a Democracy depends on it, and the future of the children depends on it. What will we leave the children if truth, justice and the American way are not upheld and only the question of why we failed to clear their way for the Democracy you and your brothers in arms have fought and died in valor to give them. They will look at us as cowards, afraid to face the enemies of our nation, who sold the country down the river, while we observed complacently. On the other hand, it is truly a golden opportunity for our country to cleanse itself of these minority elitist secret cabals gone mad who have robbed and raped this nation and our values. We could now show the children the power of our nation and set an example that will set fear in the hearts of those who would dare be treasonous, no man above the law, prosecutions to the full extent of law.
We must take back the airwaves from the monsters of propagandized media and get investigative journalism with integrity back to aid the cause. We must take their corporate power and military power away and return it to true businesspersons, not war and drug profiteers who are members of psychotic power cults. We must restore the faith of our People and the World that once again, we are a Democracy committed 100% to the law and our Constitution, or we fail and the world will soon align against us, including our own People. As with Butler, they will try to siege the military to turn on the People and suppress the rebellion that already stirs beneath my feet. They will try World War, as desperate men will take desperate measures to justify their horripilating crimes, as it now appears they were torturing People merely to gain information that would justify their lawless Wars of Aggression by having them say Al Qaeda or Al Quixote was in Iraq, whether it was true or not, to support their crimes. Iraq, as I am sure you know, had only one Bush appointed Terrorist, Saddam and there was not an ounce of Bush supported to power Bin Laden/ Al Qaeda in fact in Iraq.
Even after hundreds of times torturing these suspected “terrorists”, they still could not get the connection, since none existed. Why is no one asking what of those we are torturing who have no information and we torture without even knowing if in fact they are enemy combatants, according to pre-Bush terminology of war, what rights have they? This was torture for torture films perhaps, for the cult members to watch in delight at the Yale crypt, like the Nazi’s who enjoyed their torture films and these are the people we have running or ruining our country. Why is no one asking what of the soldiers, our soldiers that were subjected to torturing other humans outside the code of conduct for the military, innocent and now horrified by their actions committed under corrupt orders, as they were misled by their leaders but still have to live with the warmares? Why, my final question, are there no MIA in Iraq, where are all the American soldiers captured in Iraq or Pakistan, where are their mothers protesting on the White House Lawn for their release, where are all the Extremists who have captured them cutting off their heads, the terror, the terror? There are none, the first wars fought in war history without POW’s, no coffins either of our dead soldiers coming home, to honor them as they come home from defending truth, justice and the American Way. No gun salutes at their funerals to bring tears to the eye for the dead, our heroes, unsung heroes, just thrown in the ground no honor from the nation. The military must prevail and force trials on these cults and when they come calling to join the military in their coup, dressed in fatigues to look like men of valor, I hope and Pray there are others like you and Butler, unwilling to flinch an inch on the codes of honor that make us the greatest union on earth. If we cannot, I pray for our children.
I am in a war against these men, if you would like to check it out, www.iviewit.tv , I also have legislation that could act as a dagger in the heart to these cults but cannot get a politician to endorse it, wonder why @ www.iviewit.tv/senatecultbill.htm and for the far side of my experience [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator] . Below, I have attached a recent piece I am working on to try them under US Code Title 18 for Treason, not merely a few for War Crimes, a rough rough draft.
Best of Luck in your efforts to combat the enemy wherever they may be,
Eliot Bernstein
Complain about this comment
Robin
Obama's strategy is sound. Let the torture documents trickle out. If the public are calling for prosecutions - let the judiciary do their job. He can't go wrong.
He's given assurances to CIA operatives. Wise move. Bush Admin demonstrated their loyalty to CIA by revealing undercover CIA agents. Wow! Ex Bush team are singing like canaries trying to save their own skins. More to come there.
It'll cause much squirming and writhing within CIA and Defence Dept thats for sure. They'll turn themselves inside out. Horrible to watch.
Look at it this way. There's a disease in CIA and Defence Dept. Choices: Surgery, but if it goes wrong, the surgeon gets the blame. Or trigger the immune system to detect and destroy the pathogen cells. Less risky - and ultimately leads to a healthier, stronger patient.
Complain about this comment
Though this blog's theory about "triangulation on torture" is based on facts, i don't think we can actually speculate and figure out his true intentions yet. It's just too soon to tell.
I will agree with this blog/Mike though, i do not think that they will be prosecuted either.
Complain about this comment
I thought being Mr Triangulator was central to his message. You're absolutely right that Obama doesn't want this issue blowing up when there's pressing business elsewhere. And I doubt that voters have themselves decided how tough they want him to be at this stage.
The important thing is that this never happens again, and going after their political masters would send a far stronger message than just jailing some wretched little CIA sadists as martyrs of the right: a Cheney trial might even unite the nation as never before! It'd certainly be fun.
Complain about this comment
Well, Mr. Obama might have a hard time dealing with the mess that Bush left him, but I think that as long as Obama hiimself does not authorize the use of torture, that is a step in the positive direction, and I wouldnt consider him so much a "triangulator". He is right, he needs to focus on the future, but that it is becoming more apparent that its not as easy as it sounds, considering the mess (like this problem right here about prosecuting people formerly involved in torture) he must deal with. He cannot just ignore it, so what should he do?
Public Marriage Records
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS