Obama admin. playing whac-a-mole on Bush admin. torture accountability
Slate has an informative article on the Obama handling of the issue of holding Bush administration officials accountable for its use of torture.
The Obama administration has sought to close off any opportunity to assess the legality of Bush’s use of torture. The article cites, among several examples, the use by the Obama Justice Dept. of the states secrets privledge to close down a lawsuit by the ACLU centered on extraodrinary rendition.
The article says, “There’s been a good deal of speculation as to why the Obama administration has worked so hard to keep courts from scrutinizing Bush-era torture policies. In its pleadings, the Justice Department continues to take the position that courts shouldn’t usurp executive authority over national defense. But the practical effect of this effort will be to ratify such policies and the legal architecture that supports them. As Scott Horton explains, “the path to a renewal of the criminal misconduct of the Bush years is being prepared right now. And Obama Justice Department lawyers are doing the work.” ” The Scott Hrton quote is taken from http://harpers.org/archive/2009/12/hbc-90006184.
Illuminating article on disturbing sides of the Obama administration.