Obama Pledges To End Torture To Help ‘Regain America’s Moral Stature In The World’
Obama Pledges To End Torture To Help ‘Regain America’s Moral Stature In The World’
In recent weeks, there has been rampant media speculation that President Barack Obama would back off his campaign pledges to end torture.
The Wall Street Journal recently wrote, “President-elect Barack Obama is unlikely to radically overhaul controversial Bush administration intelligence policies.” In addition, some in the blogosphere have raised concerns about the fact that a key intelligence adviser to Obama has supported the Bush administration’s enhanced interrogation techniques.
Tonight, in his interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes, Obama bluntly and directly clarified his incoming administration’s position:
CBS: There are a number of different things you can do early on pertaining to executive orders.
OBAMA: Right.
CBS: One of them is to shut down Guantanamo Bay. Another is to change interrogation methods that are used by U.S. troops. Are those things that you plan to take early action on?
OBAMA: Yes. I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and I will follow through on that. I have said repeatedly that America doesn’t torture, and I’m going to make sure that we don’t torture. Those are part and parcel of an effort to regain America’s moral stature in the world.
Watch it:
Obama also emphasized that “capturing or killing” Osama bin Laden is a critical aspect of his national security strategy of stamping out al Qaeda. “He is not just a symbol, he is also the operational leader of an organization that is planning attacks against U.S. targets,” Obama said of bin Laden.
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Is that clear?
Bush tortures. Obama does not torture.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:02 pmObama vs Osama — now there’s a matchup!
Wouldn’t the wingnuts go into catatonic shutdown, if that muslim bastard Obama actually caught, tried, and convicted Bin Laden?
Woooo!!!
November 16th, 2008 at 9:13 pmThe question I’d like from someone in the incoming admin., is, if Bush pardons the CIA agents who tortured Gitmo prisoners, they won’t still be employed by the Agency, right?
Right?
November 16th, 2008 at 9:16 pmIsn’t it amazing that an American President-elect would ever have to say such things?
How to Tell Your Party Is Dead:
November 16th, 2008 at 9:27 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qi4ezdmO08
Isn’t this an admission that the previous administration practices torture and/or condoned it?
Can the whole lot be tried for crimes against humanity yet?
November 16th, 2008 at 9:33 pmI have said repeatedly that America doesn’t torture…
um, yes we do.
November 16th, 2008 at 9:52 pmI am glad that we are taking the big step to close Gitmo.
But have we taken any moral ground until we undo the structures in our system that allowed Gitmo to happen in the first place ?
Don’t we have to see action taken against those who led us down this road, as the repubs would say, to send a firm message that this action cannot and will not be tolerated ?
In light of the firm evidence of coverup, should we open this up to investigation by an international body, such as the Hague ?
November 16th, 2008 at 9:54 pmI think we are going to be pleasantly surprised by the decisiveness and clairitive of message coming from Barack Obama. I find him to be incredibly impressive.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:00 pmDallasNE,
November 16th, 2008 at 10:07 pmObama has an easy act to follow.
There is NOTHING, I mean NOTHING, more entertaining than reading the Freeper reactions to this interview. They are utterly hysterical and, secondarily, the dumbest humans on the planet.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:09 pmsounds good to me.
great interview by the way.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:15 pmThe Repugs think the Geneva Convention is a tourist site–
Geneva Convention, here we come! Fire up the car, Pa!
November 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pmThen why does he support the war on terror, is filling his White House with centrists, and why did he support illegal wiretaps? He is no friend to progressives…
http://www.sunstateactivist.org/ssablog/
November 16th, 2008 at 10:23 pmcompared to what?
November 16th, 2008 at 10:26 pmOOpspoo–who are you talking about?
November 16th, 2008 at 10:27 pm.
The Rule of Law requires more than a “promise”. Anything less than, is following the Rule of Men. America is now at a cross point where either we follow the Rule of Law and administer consequences to those who’ve broke the law or we gleefully stride along and follow this leader because “he” says so.
I remember once, George W. Bush plainly stated, “America doesn’t torture,” but did that stop his lies. While Obama may not be intending to mislead Americans like Bush has, what prevents Obama from following the path set forth by Bush…
… His say so?
The greatest deterrent to breaking the LAW, is the punishment prescribed withing that law as the appropriate consequence for breaking it. Otherwise, that law or any law, for that matter, is both meaningless and useless.
I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I COULD BE PRESIDENT OF THE USA AND INSTITUTE POLICIES OF TORTURE, RENDITION AND ILLEGAL DETENTION ALL THE WHILE NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
The greatest wrong perpetrated by the 43rd President of the USA was not his institution of torture policies alone. The greatest wrong perpetrated by him was the usurpation of the Rule of Law! To let this great wrong to go unaccounted for is the tacit permissiveness the next President of the USA needs to commit great wrongs in the name OF the USA.
.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:29 pmLets hope with all the sub contracted services the US is using in the war on terror that means that 3rd parties won’t be doing for us in the other parts of the world as well.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:29 pmWhat impresses me about Obama is his thoughfulness, he actually thinks about the question and answers it clearly and concisely like an intelligent grown-up. I know after 8 years of Bush being barely able to conjugate a verb, it’s an easy act to follow (as someone mentioned), but it is still a breath of fresh air and does make me hopeful for the future of this country (Obama has A LOT of big heaping fetid piles of crap left by Bush, and I have no delusions it will be easy, but at least we have a fighting chance)
November 16th, 2008 at 10:38 pmThe United States doesn’t torture…
What happens when we send terrorists and other enemies of the state to Egypt or Uzbekistan or Albania is not under out control, is it…
November 16th, 2008 at 10:38 pmThat’s a maximum ditto there amigo !
November 16th, 2008 at 10:39 pm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6LtL9lCTRA
:55
“This Government does not torture people. You know, we, we, we, we, we stick to U.S. Law and our international obligations.”
Q U E S T I O N:
… If this Government does not torture and abides to international obligations and U.S. Law, is Obama unequivocally stating that Mr George W. Bush is a LIAR by suggesting that America doesn’t torture and insuring that torture doesn’t happen is the way to regain, part-n-parcel, America’s moral standing in the world?
America doesn’t torture…
… Heard it before.
Policies instituted by High Officials in the Bush Administration…
… Undermine the rhetoric of what is said we don’t do.
Yet, to regain that international moral high ground…
… WHERE’S THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE WRONGS COMMITTED?
.
November 16th, 2008 at 10:51 pmI think that President-Elect Obama should tell Still-President Bush, “If you try to pull anything fancy like pardoning everybody for anything they might have done on your orders, or try to claim executive privilege to stop yourself or anyone else from testifying, I will have you arrested and sent to The Hague once I am sworn in.”
November 16th, 2008 at 10:52 pmI voted for and supported the guy. I am going to assume that his definition of torture isn’t one previously crafted by John Yoo. Nevertheless, I was hoping for the obvious follow-up question.
As for those potentially pardoned CIA agents, I would hope that they would then be immunized and required to testify before Congress. Pardoning these folks is antithetical to Nuremberg. “I was only following orders” was settled as a defective defense over 60 years ago.
As for George, he cannot pardon himself but the next administration has greater priorities. However, you never know when a completely unexpected Butterfield moment might occur.
November 16th, 2008 at 11:19 pm.
Jeremy Scahill & Naomi Klein
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lrLhZovmtI
.
November 16th, 2008 at 11:19 pmIt clears the path for the Bush Administration to be charged with War Crimes by the United Nations. As for those the idiot Bush pardons, there’s still the charges overseas that all these criminals will have to deal with. As for those still employed while getting a pardon they will be given the pick slip. Obama can’t afford to have criminals working in the CIA.
If there are any law students, lawyers or paralegal there is employment at the DOJ.
November 16th, 2008 at 11:30 pm.
Torturing Democracy
http://torturingdemocracy.org/
.
November 16th, 2008 at 11:32 pmLet me re-emphasis what Obama said, and Zooey eluded to:
“AMERICA DOES NOT TORTURE!!!”
November 16th, 2008 at 11:40 pmI’ve said it here before and I’ll say it again…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohXsdbF-7jc
End the madness
November 17th, 2008 at 12:07 amOBL’s dead.
November 17th, 2008 at 2:24 amOT, but it’s late and Faiz deserves cudos. On CNN today:
———————————————————-
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Congress passes the laws, but the president has the authority to define how the executive agencies interpret those laws. President Bush has been busy with his pen, signing 23 executive orders this year alone, setting new policies.
Democratic critics say many of those orders were tailored for Mr. Bush’s conservative base.
FAIZ SHAKIR, CTR. FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: It has been eight years of catering to special interest, catering to big industry, at the neglect of workers, consumers, environment.
SYLVESTER: The Obama transition team has already identified Bush executive orders they plan to reverse.
——————————————-
I’m sure Faiz said more, but it was edited down. Eight years of wages going down is bad for the economy, no matter how great the Republicans think it is.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:12 amJust to highlight how far we’ve fallen: in 1998, President Bill Clinton signed the Torture Victims Relief Act.
November 17th, 2008 at 6:10 am@ Max 1
yes your right..more then closing it needs to be done…but do you really expect Obama to lay out his game plan on how too bust Bush? He cant say too much this soon..he is not in a position to carry out threats and as it is..BUSH is already making his attempt at having Executive Priviledge
People need to stop expecting so many words from a president elect..that might hinder his goals
November 17th, 2008 at 7:20 amMaybe we can send them (repugs) to the South when they secede?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20081117/ts_csm/aaryan
We have got to quit letting these idiots breed–Darwinism isn’t working fast enough
November 17th, 2008 at 7:37 amDONE AND DONE.
George Bush bankrupted our country in so many ways — one can argue the relative impact of each — but I maintain that moral bankruptcy is the easiest and most important form of bankruptcy to repair. We can float for a while with economic crisis, start implementing climate regulations, etc, but we have got to have the world taking us seriously again as a beacon of moral action. Thank you Barack, as far as I’m concerned if you can just put our moral standing back to where it was before Bush and his fellow war criminals threw it in the toilet, your job is done.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:46 amRowan Berkeley Says:
OBL’s dead.
Quite possibly. I guess we’ll soon find out for sure, eh?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:50 amAs I’ve read through comments, I’ve noted the issue of pardons has been frequently mentioned. The problem – booosh’s problem – with pardons for torturers, et al, is that if the person granting a pardon – boooosh in this case – is part of the illegal act – here torture – the pardons are null and void. Basically, because booosh authorized torture he can not legally grant pardons to those who acted on his authority.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 amThe number one priority of the incoming Obama administration should be to end torture, disappearances and prisoner mistreatment.
It appears that it is. That’s a good thing to set us on a better track. Feet need to be held to the fire until we see it actually happen. The last eight years have made us skeptical.
November 17th, 2008 at 9:46 amleekinny, that is an unfortunate turn of phrase in this case… feet held to the fire? What are you, a darn torturer? ;)
November 17th, 2008 at 1:51 pmObama’s picked for inteligence transitional team John Brhanan the criminal who promoted WMD, soy on americans, promoted redition flights, used of torture, black sites and secreet prisions. WHERE IS THE CHANGE??????????????!!!!!!!! Obama, please, do not disapoint us! People voted, you have a mandate! So far it has been a ot of rethoric but no Real change! It is begining to sound like Pelosi…
November 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pmKeeping gates in the Pentagon, a criminal who was involved in the Iran-Contra scandal, is more of the same!!!! WHERE IS THE CHANGE???????
November 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pmFor all of you who want to close Club Gitmo, I hope they release the terrorists imprisoned there in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
If you think they will be successfully prosecuted in our courts I have ocean-front property in Arizona for you…
Second, I wish all of you who WOULDN’T have waterboarded Khalid Sheik Mohammed to have been presnt in LA when the terrorist plot WE FOILED would have gone down.
MORONS! When will you come to understand that the enemy must be DEALT WITH in whatever terms required to protest and defend our country?
November 17th, 2008 at 9:37 pmGlad they addressed this issue.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:17 pmTim Vaculik Says:
You are a fascist and ignorant piece of garbage Timmeh a coward of monumental propotions.
For all of you who want to close Club Gitmo, I hope they release the terrorists imprisoned there in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
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Why would they? That is stupid, they will be tried or released to THEIR country. I hope YOU and your SON get arrested held without trial for 7 years. I mean you dont care about the rule of law so why should it apply to you? You dont care about our rights because you are a coward and the APPEARANCE of keeping you safe by being brutal to the scary turban guys is all you care about. You are a simpering cowardly bufoon.
If you think they will be successfully prosecuted in our courts I have ocean-front property in Arizona for you…
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If we cannot find them guilty of anything in a court of law then they ARE NOT GUILTY AS PER THE LAW. My GOD you are ignorant. IF they are not guilty as per the law then they should go free. You cowardly fascist piece of ignorance.
Second, I wish all of you who WOULDN’T have waterboarded Khalid Sheik Mohammed to have been presnt in LA when the terrorist plot WE FOILED would have gone down.
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They dont become guilty by dint of being accused of a crime you ignorant punk. They can be treated as POWs or they must be tried you fascist ignorant cowardly punk.
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:36 pm