Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: NYT Op-ed: Pardon Bush and Those Who Tortured [View all]merrily
(45,251 posts)2. Sorry to disagree, but a UN treaty to which the US is party and domestic law already prove
torture is illegal and Obama granted unofficial immunitypardon almost as soon as he took office.
That illegal torture occurred, at home or in black holes and "extraordinary rendition" sites abroad, (gee, thanks, Assad) under the last three administrations, and members of Congress of both of the two largest political parties allowed it, doesn't change the illegality of it one tiny bit. Nor would granting a formal pardon prove anything new about the illegality of torture. It might, however, seem to exonerate those who participated. So, I think it can do no good whatever and may do harm.
I support the ACLU, but think Romero is wrong on this one.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
39 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
Sorry to disagree, but a UN treaty to which the US is party and domestic law already prove
merrily
Dec 2014
#2
What part of "unofficial" is too complicated for you? Didn't prosecute, did he? Just let the
merrily
Dec 2014
#14
Yes, and I appreciate that. However, there is legal technicality and then there is public
merrily
Dec 2014
#31
Ford clung to that after he pardoned Nixon, but a lot of people think it means you were not
merrily
Dec 2014
#19
The point that I got listening to him was that if the case is left unsettled then the door is left
jwirr
Dec 2014
#28
Committing genocide, including of Jews who are fellow Germans in Germany, is not a war.
merrily
Dec 2014
#16
The other reason for a pardon is that it eliminates their 5th Amendment shelter
Algernon Moncrieff
Dec 2014
#4
I agree but how are we going to get a prosecution? If it were that easy it should have been done a
jwirr
Dec 2014
#30
Extraordinary rendition is not what you are describing. It is forcing people often uncharged with
uppityperson
Dec 2014
#26