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Leahy: Hearing on Post-Bush Truth Commission Coming in 'About A Week'
After the president's speech tonight, I caught up with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who confirmed that he will hold a hearing on the proposed "truth and reconciliation commission" to investigate abuses committed during the Bush years.
Salon first reported Leahy's plans for a hearing, which the chairman said would come in "about a week or so," as soon as he could get his desired witnesses to confirm their attendance. When pressed on who those sought-after witnesses might be, Leahy declined to elaborate. Stay tuned...
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| TOPICS: Democrats, George W. Bush, Guantanamo Bay, Senate, Torture
| TOPICS: Democrats, George W. Bush, Guantanamo Bay, Senate, Torture
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Josh
Matt
Eric
We need the truth, yes. But reconciliation is something that only victims of crimes can grant.
Truth and reconciliation commissions, with amnesty for those who admit to their crimes, might be appropriate for a situation like that of South Africa, where torturers and tortured were members of the same society. But our crimes (yes, our crimes; passage of the Military Commissions Act and re-election of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney made us all own the torture) were against thousands of non-Americans.
We have no right to seek, much less grant, reconciliation in their name.
We need justice and accountability, not "reconciliation". There's already more than enough evidence to show that the crime of torture was committed. A prosecutorial investigation is the way to uncover remaining evidence.
Support yesterday's call by dozens of organizations, led by the Center for Constitutional Rights, for a special counsel to investigate and prosecute Bush, Cheney, and the lawyers who tried to "legalize" something that is always a crime.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/prosecutorstatement
February 25, 2009 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with Neil. Until those responsible are held accountable we are all accessories to these crimes. Moreover, not prosecuting them just opens the door wider for more, and more egregious, abuses.
It's time America stops harboring its war criminals -- and paying them generous "retirement" benefits, to boot.
February 25, 2009 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink