Bush & Co. need indictments for what they did to those prisoners.

can do the time.

We need a Nuremberg-style tribunal. We need sentences handed down. We need to hear cell doors clanging shut. In a few cases we may even need to smell gunpowder and cordite.

Granted, they already have a Get Out of Jail Free card, but there is no reason to think that they wouldn't lie in their teeth when giving such "testimony" anyway. Since we can't be assured of getting the "truth" from such persons, what purpose is served by amnesty?

-- Mal

Where any testimony that is found to be untruthful or less than the whole truth means the amnesty is negated.

... but frankly, I'm pretty sure they don't think they did anything warranting confession. Although in general I don't like to play the Shadow (I surely don't know what evil lurks in the hearts of men), the President's "Remember, these are true patriots" indicates to me that their only regret is that the program produces little if any useful intelligence. Even in today's statement, Mr Obama found it necessary to point out that not only was torture against our values, it didn't work. He has always argued against the utility of such practices, which is really not relevant in consderations of morality. The fact that he includes this in his (IMO) lukewarm repudiation tells me that utilty is more important to him (and by extension, others in decision-making positions) than any other question.

-- Mal

And, refusal to do so would result in a trial for their crimes.

the process

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.