Obama’s Decision to Release Torture Memos
I agree with Glenn Greenwald on all counts:
1. Obama deserves considerable credit for releasing the torture memos. He
courageously stood up against ferocious CIA-neocon-national security
pressure to suppress them, in a marked departure from the usual practice of
secrecy about these things.
2. It is appalling that Obama offered immunity to war criminals who were
“just following orders,” especially before any independent investigation.
As the Americans told the Nazi functionaries at Nuremburg, just following
orders does not absolve one of responsibility. We must demand investigation
of all alleged war crimes, and punish those responsible, starting at the top
with those who planned and implemented them — Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld,
Gonzalez, Yoo, etc. — but not excusing those who carried them out, like the
CIA torturers. If you agree, join Amnesty International’s campaign at the
link below.
3. The Orwellian US media plays a major role in rationalizing, enabling and
suppressing criticism of US war crimes.
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The Significance of Obama’s Decision to Release the Torture Memos
Glenn Greenwald
Friday April 17, 2009
Salon
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/17/prosecutions/index.html