Key Figure in Bush’s Military Commissions Set for Obama Job

Source: Washington Independent

by Spencer Ackerman
2-9-2010

A key behind-the-scenes architect of the Bush administration’s first version of the military commissions for terrorism suspects — which the Supreme Court found to unconstitutionally restrict the legal rights of detainees — will take a central Pentagon position dealing with detainee policy for the Obama administration.

William Lietzau, a Marine colonel who currently serves as deputy legal counsel to the National Security Council, is poised to become the Pentagon’s new deputy assistant secretary for detainee affairs in the next several weeks. Lietzau, an international law expert described even by his critics as a brilliant and energetic attorney, previously served as a special adviser to Jim Haynes, the top Pentagon lawyer during Donald H. Rumsfeld’s tenure, when Rumsfeld and Haynes codified torture and indefinite detention as hallmarks of Bush-era terrorism policy. The position, which is not subject to Senate confirmation, came open late last year, after Phil Carter, the previous deputy assistant secretary for detainee affairs and a favorite of civil libertarians, abruptly resigned.

As the next deputy assistant secretary, Lietzau will be at the center of the Obama administration’s decisions about trying the remaining Guantanamo detainees in reformed military commissions or in federal courts. He will also be central to the construction of a post-Guantanamo terrorism-detention policy in an administration that claims to be more committed to the rule of law than its predecessor. Lietzau is said to have gained the confidence of senior administration officials over the past year, particularly as he helped revise the military commissions to include greater process protections for defendants — even though civil libertarian groups still consider those rules to be unfair.

Two senior military lawyers who fought with Haynes over military commissions and interrogations in the Bush administration said they were surprised to hear of Lietzau’s impending appointment to the Obama Pentagon. Retired Rear Adm. Don Guter, who served as the Navy’s Judge Advocate General from 2000 to 2002, described Lietzau as a close Haynes confidante but not an outspokenly opinionated figure. “If he disagreed with Jim Haynes you’d never know about it,” Guter said. “Because of his close association with Haynes I’d be more comfortable if I saw something public he’d made a break with those policies.”

Read more: http://washingtonindependent.com/76103/key-figure-in-bushs-military-commissions-set-for-obama-job

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How do you profess to bring about change when you keep the same old corrupt Bushies around?

Another bad move, IMO. :thumbsdown:

I'm so sick of the crap of using BFEE criminals in this administration.

or, uh, NOT. :grr: :argh: :puke:

For posting anything suggesting Obama is as bad on torture as Bush. Even though it's true.

because, well, they fucking are.

The pukes knew they couldn't steal the '08 election, so they found a fake Dem that could win the White House and then continue their agenda.

Obama wouldn't keep covering for Bush/Cheney and he wouldn't keep putting their people in charge unless he was working for them.

Which he clearly is.

judging by his actions.