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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTHEY SHOULD ALL BE IN FUCKING PRISON
But we "knew that already."
Gotta look forward, don'tcha know.
William Rivers Pitt | They Belong in Prison, Not on TV
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/24490-william-rivers-pitt-they-belong-in-prison-not-on-tv
snooper2
(30,151 posts)I see the open mouth, then another mouth with a tounge sticking out... weird LOL
billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Those two families are in cahoots. Thanks Bill for covering up Bush Sr crimes. Thanks Obama for letting GW off the hook when the time was ripe to indict him...is it too late now?
Marrah_G
(28,581 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)annabanana
(52,791 posts)I would die happy.....
Rockyj
(538 posts)Love that cover!
reddread
(6,896 posts)Last edited Tue Dec 9, 2014, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)
if there is a death penalty for small time murderers there should not be a retirement plan for
mass murdering blue blood war criminals.
hang them with saddams rope and gallows.
HomerRamone
(1,112 posts)Terra Alta
(5,158 posts)Infuriates me to no end. MAKE THEM PAY!
Zorra
(27,670 posts)BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)That's where they belong. The only prisoners, in isolation, because they are too dangerous for humanity.
vlyons
(10,252 posts)The irony of incarceration in Guantanamo would ever so delicious.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)These people are monsters. The world cannot allow monsters to go free and live in luxury. It only breeds more monsters.
RufusTFirefly
(8,812 posts)The beauty of Gitmo is that they don't have to be guilty of anything to be incarcerated there. We can send them there today.
Right now, more than half of the prisoners at Gitmo have been cleared for release and yet they aren't going anywhere.
Imagine if this were your loved one. Would you just say, "Oops! Nobody's perfect. Those things happen sometimes!"?
Warpy
(110,900 posts)and yes, the abrogation of the Geneva Conventions by that gang of criminals was treason. It will cost American lives in future conflicts as people fight to the death rather than face capture and torture, the reason we adopted them in the first place.
I am against the DP. However, it would show to the world that this country is serious about banning torture.
I'm sure they'd prefer it to spending years in a room with a toilet, a plastic mattress and a bible.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)I say this, mind, as someone who is ardently anti-death penalty.
But even I have my limits.
Hang the bastards. Every last one complicit in these crimes. I don't care what administration, what party, who, where, what. Find them. Try them. Hang the guilty. Then dump them into the ocean at an undisclosed time and location.
Initech
(99,912 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)mission, joined by the GOP, just as bringing you two useless wars was their mission then.
Should lock up the whole fucking war and criminal machine that even lets that happen.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)If all the criminals with authority were in prison, how would the trains run on time?
Who would be left to go on tee vee to read the news?
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)I'd peg it 1994, with Newt and his Contract on America. Clinton rolled over for them and they still impeached him, despite all of his gracious service to the Corporate Powers That Be. For which, it must be admitted, he has been handsomely rewarded in his post-presidential life to the tune of tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars.
cry baby
(6,682 posts)We knew, here at DU, that these things were happening...just not the extent of the inhuman behavior that was done in our name and with our tax dollars.
Shame on this country. I just don't know what else to say.
Old Codger
(4,205 posts)This is so far against what this country is supposed to represent as to be off the scale. Another really disappointing action is for our president to use the word "troubling" to describe an atrocity.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Maven
(10,533 posts)kath
(10,565 posts)WorseBeforeBetter
(11,441 posts)earthside
(6,960 posts)The decision not to prosecute Bush administration war criminals; and his decision not to go after the Wall Street crooks who crashed our economy, will forever taint the presidential legacy of Barack Obama.
Worse, the moral hazard he has created in these two areas means that history will look back on his presidency and wonder why he did not have the moral courage to bring the miscreants to account and justice.
These Obama failures are surely the reasons why I just haven't been able to be an enthusiastic defender of this President, and they are the primary reason why I just don't think he is as smart or as circumspect as many think he is. I've never been able to put my finger on it, but there is just something about Barack Obama that is hollow and/or shallow.
I'm glad Obama is President, but how he could just let these kinds of crimes go without the criminals brought to the bar of justice is sad and depressing.
MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)Sorry that I haven't read your piece yet, Will. Right now, I'm listening to Sen Jay Rockefeller and in the prison thinking mode.
I'm thinking that my ex-congressman Tim Murphy
He's the only psychologist in Congress. He should have had some thoughts of the psychologist's abuse in torture.
Tim?
Nah, no Republicans will weigh in to that, or any other techniques. Intelligence-inschmelligence. Redactions don't make sense. Are they concealing violations of law, or embarrassing persons or agencies?
Let's just break apart the CIA into 1,000 pieces, okay?
LiberalArkie
(15,686 posts)MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)Yeah let's white wash that now
trusty elf
(7,348 posts)[IMG][/IMG]
butterfly77
(17,609 posts)My first thoughts when they began talking about the release of these reports.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Were fortunate to have men and women who work hard at the CIA serving on our behalf. These are patriots and whatever the report says, if it diminishes their contributions to our country, it is way off base.
G.W. Bush
kentuck
(110,950 posts)just as he has done all his life. He carries on as normal, painting pictures of little puppies and still lifes. America's mistake became America's nightmare.
daleanime
(17,796 posts)H2O Man
(73,308 posts)Recommended.
It's strange: I like to think that I am fairly well informed, and certainly was aware that the Cheney-Bush administration was torturing human beings. But I am stunned today, as I consider how far our nation has fallen in my lifetime.
Cheney-Bush made a systematic call to the darker impulses of the United States. Certainly, they did not originate all that is wrong with America, but they expanded upon the unethical and immoral dynamics. And the failure of enforcing the rule of law, to try and to convict them, ensures that there will not be the consequences that are necessary, in order for the USA to heal.
Thank you for this, Will. I plan to write up an essay to post here on DU:GD this evening. Right now, I'm still too angry. So I'll head out to my pond & sweat lodge to think about all of this for a while.
xocet
(3,870 posts)nichomachus
(12,754 posts)calimary
(80,693 posts)That is all. Can't improve on that, Will. You said it all!
Martin Eden
(12,802 posts)"The worst part is that they're all on my television again, trying to blame President Obama for the circumstances created by their own feckless, murderous decisions."
IMO the WORST part is all the death and human suffereing inflicted by the war criminals appearing on your TV set.
Small nitpick aside, K&R for a spot-on rant.
I've been a DUer since 2002. I remember reading much of what you wrote at the time, and I want to thank you for keeping me and so many others informed that the rush to war was a systematic campaign of deliberate misinformation. I wrote my representatives before the IWR vote in October 2002; I took to the streets in my hometown of Chicago in Feb 2003 (where Barack Obama spoke to the crowd); I travelled to our nation's capitol to join a hundred thousand protestors on March 15 2003; and I wept in rage and shame when my country unleashed this war crime a few days later.
In the immediate wake of 9/11, president George W Bush was supported by 90% of Americans. Then he and others in his administration manipulated the public through fear and patriotism and outright lies -- sending more than 4000 young Americans needlessly to their deaths; many times that number scarred for life; upwards of a million people (and counting) killed "over there"; draining our treasury; and making the world a more brutal and dangerous place while damaging America's reputation perhaps beyond repair.
I've always tried to give others the benefit of the doubt, to be tolerant, and not to hate. But when CheneyBush left office I was inspired by my own rage to write this poem for what I'f like to say to their face:
I'd tell you to go fuck yourself
But that is much too kind
Because if you could perform that feat
You'd take pleasure in your behind
I'd like to say eat shit and die
But you deserve much more
You should suffer all the grief and pain
Of your misbegotten war
Though I can never make you feel
Or think, or understand
I'll take solace when you hear your name
Cursed throughout the land
From inside a lonely prison cell
Dark and bare and cold
Where every day you pay for your crimes
Until you're sick, heartbroken, and old
Then when you finally leave the earth
You fucked over oh so well
If there is a God and afterlife
You're going straight to hell.
dead_head
(81 posts)Put some heavy guitar on it dude!
Rockyj
(538 posts)Should be a meme!
I love it!
hue
(4,949 posts)Where is the outrage at the The International Criminal Court in the Hague?? They must have known some of this!
I doubt US citizens will lead the cry for justice! But as we all know, justice delayed is justice denied...
I'm soo glad the report is now released.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Taking into account the standards used at Nuremberg, a good share of the Chimp's administration, including the Chimp himself, should have been hanged for waging aggressive war, crimes against peace, wartime atrocities and crimes against humanity. The gallows should have been busy for weeks.
Diclotican
(5,095 posts)hifiguy
I would have been happy - if just 12 of the worst criminals - the political leadership and military leadership was hang by their neck in a Nuremberg type trial - after all it was what the US, UK, France and Soviet did after World War two - where it also documented the large size of the crimes the former Nazi regime was doing in Germany and elsewhere in Europe... And even then - the Nuremberg trials was not the last of the criminal trials against war crimes in Germany - even today if anyone who was active back then - you can be put on trial for the crimes - even if you are in your late 80s - as Germany have no limits of crimes like this....
But if the whole Bush Admin, from George Walker Bush jr - to the lowest criminal had ben put on trial for their share of the crimes - the gallows would have been vorned out many times before the last one was hanged for their part of their crimes.. It would take weeks to just get the worst of them in the gallows...
Diclotican
butterfly77
(17,609 posts)If they did the right thing they should have nothing to hide.
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)There's a reason why the U.S. refuses to sign on to the World Court. Can't defend the indefensible.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts). . . to seeing Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and many others do the perp walk.
FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)If only if only
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)for 40 years. I don't think it is ever gonna happen for him any more than it will ever happen for the Chimp's gang.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)Chimpanzees are more intelligent. They are also curious.
A drunken Frat Boy with a sense of entitlement who never worked for a living is neither of those.
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)Thank you.
None of Bush's henchmen will ever serve a single day in prison.
Maybe that's why it is important for us to elect Democrats to the White House and to control both Houses of Congress.
The Supreme Court is going to need a few appointments in the next few years, and I think we had better get our act together before the entire country ignores us totally.
Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)chknltl
(10,558 posts)The right was fearful of the notion of President Bush's impeachment by the left while Senator Obama was running for POTUS, it was one of the talking points used by them against then Senator Obama. I so dearly wanted to see the prosecution of the Bush Administration by the Obama Administration for War Crimes. More importantly our country needed to have an honest conversation about the actual war crimes committed by our government. Doesn't the world look at us as having a government OF BY AND FOR it's citizenry? Are we or are we not responsible for the actions of our government?
Tragically Progressives who felt like I did faced strong opposition to this not just from the right but also by our fellow Dems. Even the mighty DU was against this. The final nail in this coffin was dealt us when Madam Speaker Pelosi came out with her impeachment off the table statement when she took office. I am not bitter, just incredibly sad for humanity as a whole over this. Not only were these international war criminals let off the hook, not only were their victims NOT given a worldwide forum from which to address their grievances, but the door was left wide open for further future crimes against humanity by OUR government!
Yes I fully get it that we did not have the votes. I still argue that making the impeachment attempt and losing would have had better consequences than those consequences we ended up with. Making the attempt at impeaching these war criminals and loosing would have sent a message to the world that We The People understand that crimes were committed in our name by our government-that we were willing to discuss these crimes. Instead we sent this message to the world: What crimes? I HANG MY HEAD IN SHAME!
Thom Hartmann is as I type this calling for President Obama to issue an Executive Order to Pardon President Bush and his Administration for his torture crimes. He feels that this is the best way to officially acknowledgement that President Bush actually committed any war crimes. Hartmann makes a great argument with his thoughts about pardoning the Bush Family Evil Empire-(BFEE my words not Thom's, remember back when we used to call them that?) Hartmann feels that the Executive Pardon puts on record that actual crimes WERE committed, that it would be important in preventing further future such crimes from being committed and most importantly it would get Americans talking about these crimes.
Thom Hartmann feels that the Pardon is the only way that these crimes can be acknowledged by our Government. As much as I am at odds with pardoning any of the BFEE, I think Thom may be right. It would be nice if all the justifiable anger and hate we here at DU still harbor for the BFEE, all the anger seen even in this very OP by one of our notable DUers, could be channeled into a push by us to call for this Executive Pardoning.
mtngirl47
(985 posts)in the NYT for the pardon suggestion
[link:http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/09/opinion/pardon-bush-and-those-who-tortured.html?_r=1|
tomp
(9,512 posts)Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)I have few if any doubts that Obama would be more than happy to grant a blanket pardon to the BFEE for its torture adventures. It's what they do for others who are In The Club. They have their own rules, which do not apply to the rest of the world.
AuntPatsy
(9,904 posts)Liberal Veteran
(22,239 posts)Sad to say, the options aren't very appealing either way.
Volaris
(10,260 posts)On the argument "I don't need a pardon, as I didn't do anything illegal."
At that point, all it does is make the current President look like he's grasping at straws, and tacitly FORGIVES these obvious Crimes.
In my humble opinion, it's kind of a dumb idea. =( Even if I understand what Thom is thinking with proposing it=)
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)that this behavior was reprehensible and that those involved should be admonished. I want him to do more but would settle for this for the top dogs. Those that actually did the dirty work should go to prison.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)It's there, it's there for all to see and it will be there still when their hands are crossed, the lid is shut and the earth is piled on.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)Every time I see a war criminal on tv I throw my fucking shoe at the tv. I'm all out of shoes and tvs. Fuck this shit.
Solly Mack
(90,740 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)A HERETIC I AM
(24,320 posts)All you need to do is become the head of state, or very close to the top of a very few, specific states. The United States being one of them.
No head of state of England, France, Germany or the US in modern times will EVER be held accountable for ordering the deaths of thousands, much less millions.
Certainly not in modern times.
But sell untaxed cigarettes by the piece in Staten Island?
Why, they'll kill you on the spot!
Blue Owl
(49,913 posts)taught_me_patience
(5,477 posts)neverforget
(9,433 posts)fuckers.
Derek V
(532 posts)Aren't those just for sex offenders?
butterfly77
(17,609 posts)In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)wiggs
(7,788 posts)unearthed and replayed in prime time. He was ridiculed at the time by RW but was, of course, right.
short version:
And...people are acting surprised at the recent report, but really...didn't everyone suspect or know that enhanced interrogation was going on and that it was more than waterboarding three guys? Weren't there 25 deaths associated with Abu Ghraib? I remember a description of one death....suffocation because he was in a bag and a guy was sitting on him.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)And the Obama Administration gave them a free pass for it.
Those are the facts.
And I voted for the man.
I am ashamed.
wildbilln864
(13,382 posts)unfortunately laws only apply to the 99 %
napkinz
(17,199 posts)Generic Other
(28,979 posts)I called it "Neo-Convicts." Ahhh, wishful thinking.
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Thespian2
(2,741 posts)Who has the balls to put the murdering Bastards on trial?
See my post at the following link as to what I chink PO should do immediately:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5936463
wundermaus
(1,673 posts)they should at the very least have a choice of hanging or firing squad.
pa28
(6,145 posts)Last edited Wed Dec 10, 2014, 01:28 AM - Edit history (1)
It was an anti-war march in Seattle. About 4000 people attended and BTW this guy called Will Pitt showed up and gave a pretty damn good speech explaining why the invasion of was based entirely on a false pretext and warning of the long term consequences of such a mistake.
Of course the warnings turned out to be true and everybody in attendance knew it but only one local TV station decided to show up and give it a short feature on the evening news. That was predictable and did not bother me much.
Here is what bothered me. I happened to walk into a nearby coffee shop and everybody there was bonding over their hate of the people in the march . . . in Seattle.
Good times.
Major Hogwash
(17,656 posts)We said the same thing about Nixon.
BelgianMadCow
(5,379 posts)ctsnowman
(1,903 posts)L0oniX
(31,493 posts)deutsey
(20,166 posts)It's America.
Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)According to our president, the torturers are patriots.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)...would be a nation which wouldn't have committed such acts on such a scale and for so long. The nation that cared would already be outraged by what we know so far.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)woo me with science
(32,139 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)nt