"...do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

"For the good of the Air Force, for the good of the armed services and for the good of our country, I urge you to reject convention and careerism..."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Maxwell AFB, April 21, 2008

"You will need to challenge conventional wisdom and call things like you see them to subordinates and superiors alike."
- Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, United States Air Force Academy, March 4, 2011

Monday, December 22, 2014

The NYT is Absolutely Right - Now That It Doesn't Matter


Echoing the reasoning the great journalist Glenn Greenwald offered in his outstanding book, Liberty and Justice for Some, the New York Times editorial staff recently came out with its position that the current administration should investigate and prosecute war criminals.  The American Civil LIberties Union (ACLU) is also writing a letter to Attorney General Holder asking that this be done.  Despite the cozy relationship the NYT had with the previous administration and its war criminals, the paper is nonetheless correct that this needs to happen.  So again, bravo, for your brave journalism pointing out that our rule of law needs to be respected (years later, now that the deeds have already been done, and the torture has been completed and power will be less angry with you for doing your journalistic job).

According to the New York Times:
But any credible investigation should include former Vice President Dick Cheney; Mr. Cheney’s chief of staff, David Addington; the former C.I.A. director George Tenet; and John Yoo and Jay Bybee, the Office of Legal Counsel lawyers who drafted what became known as the torture memos. There are many more names that could be considered, including Jose Rodriguez Jr., the C.I.A. official who ordered the destruction of the videotapes; the psychologists who devised the torture regimen; and the C.I.A. employees who carried out that regimen.
Yes, there are MANY more names that could and should be considered.  Of course they won't be, and the war crimes will not be investigated, even though they are required to be investigated by law.  Glenn Greenwald's previously mentioned book provides a fascinating look into the measures the current administration has taken to ensure that the issue will never see anything more serious than the corporate media's carefully crafted puppet show, put on for the entertainment of the American masses.

Still, good on the New York Times and the ACLU for pushing for it to happen.

Regardless of what happens, airmen don't forget to do your LOAC training.  We really take that stuff seriously...

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