Prosecuting torture

Like many progressives, I have been disappointed with the administration saying, basically the way I understood it, that they would not investigate torture in the previous administration if it fit within the scope of the legal memos that the previous administration wrote. I may not have that exactly right, but that's how I took it.

Then it hit me when they talked about the information being released Monday. Maybe there is enough stuff that goes BEYOND those legal briefs to prosecute. So, the administration sort of runs an end-around - nobody can claim that they were just following orders or doing what they were told was legal. Maybe there is enough stuff to come out that goes beyond those rulings to really investigate and prosecute without using evidence that fell within those legal briefs.

Maybe I'm just hopeful. But maybe there will still be some big investigations and prosecutions, using only what goes beyond those legal briefs.

Holder has admitted to signing off on outsourced torture under Clinton:

http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/02/14/050214fa_fact6
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/02/14/050214fa_fact6

I don't think he's going to prosecute himself - and given that Obama's OK with Holder's background, I don't think Holder will be replaced.

Look it up.