http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/22/torture.prosecution/index.html?iref=newssearch



updated 6:46 p.m. EDT, Wed April 22, 2009


'No one is above the law,' Holder says of torture inquiry

* Story Highlights
* "We are going to follow the evidence," attorney general says
* Holder weighing whether to prosecute Bush officials over interrogations
* Interrogators themselves won't be charged, he says
* Several investigations into interrogation techniques are under way
* Next Article in Politics »

By Terry Frieden
CNN Justice Department Producer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that he would "follow the law" as he weighed potential prosecutions of Bush administration officials who authorized controversial harsh interrogation techniques.
Some groups want Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the issue.

Some groups want Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the issue.

In Holder's first public comments on the issue since President Obama's statements on the matter Tuesday, the attorney general responded to questions briefly and cautiously.

"We are going to follow the evidence, follow the law and take that where it leads. No one is above the law," Holder said at an Earth Day event.

Some human rights groups have demanded that Holder appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the matter, but the attorney general appears to be in no hurry to decide how to proceed.

Obama said Tuesday that the attorney general would ultimately decide whether to proceed with prosecutions of those in the Bush administration who drew up the legal basis for aggressive interrogation techniques.

Those techniques include waterboarding, which simulates drowning. Obama has called the practice torture. Other techniques include keeping the prisoner in "stress positions" for long periods of time, enclosing the prisoner's head in a box with insects he is told are poisonous, and sleep deprivation.



The administration last week released four lengthy, Bush-era legal memorandums -- one from 2002 and three from 2005 -- that concluded the harsh interrogation techniques did not constitute torture and were not against the law.

Holder also repeated assurances the Obama administration had given CIA interrogators who employed the controversial techniques that they would not be charged.

"The president's comments were consistent with what we've said all along. Those who, in good faith, followed legal guidance they were given will not be prosecuted or investigated," Holder said.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who earlier in the day released a newly declassified timeline -- compiled when he was chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- of how the approval for the controversial interrogation techniques played out, said he agreed that CIA operatives shouldn't face prosecution.

"But I am not prepared to say the same for the senior Bush administration officials who authorized or directed these policies in the first place," the West Virginia Democrat said. "The focus for right now should be on finding the facts."

Several investigations, both internal and external, are under way into the interrogation or related matters, and others are almost certain to be launched, particularly by Congress

The attorney general's comments came at a public park in Washington where he helped plant a tree to mark the environmental celebration of Earth Day.

I'm betting even a bag-man like Holder won't be able to convince anyone that giving legal advice, in the open and documented, can be found "illegal". We'll see.

we certainly will.
the discussion/debate on waterboarding /torture being against the law has been shown ,that was my point all along,whether anyone is prosecuted i haven't a clue, but at least it was brought out and maybe this will close that dark side chapter~ now lets get on with the healing, of this country,fighting among dems/repubs solves nothing.
witch hunts are silly and costly,but the truth needs to be told and those guilty held accountable,that is what are country was built on, and those values should still continue today..
I still believe in United We Stand ,Divided we fall~

look at the date, obama will stop this. he has enough problems, he know ppl hate muslims for the most part, he know muslims get no sympathy, he has lost the gun ppl for good, and many central voting ppl now, he cant afford to loose anymore, he will not allow the anti american left loons to bring him down, his ratings now are good, for him to do any legislation he need to hold that and make as many right wing friends as he can , time will tell, all this will play out,

again who are the anti americans, goons as you call them Rosco?
let me make myself perfectly clear,if something that is wrong and people want it investigated prosecuted, then they are anti american?
I don't think Obama has lost any of those people/voters you named~ is that speculation or fact?

Rosco, a good point ..Obama has already angered blacks by not backing a suit he had committed to , now with the attempt at jeopardizing American security by pursuing this issue of waterboarding and other high security matters , he seems to be leaving some gaping holes in our defense system. What he thinks will be accomplished by all of this is beyond me. Holder is out to make a name for himself.
If they go after one administration then they might as well go farther back to Clinton and Reagan.
The whole scenario is utterly ridiculous, but with such a vindictive president as we have now who is attempting to make points for himself by picking the bones of the Bush administration I guess this is how he is attempting to keep his ratings. But I do believe in time it will blow up in his face. This is not healing nor going forward. This is dividing the masses even more.

really! I have not seen that here,would that be in your neck of the woods? care to share~~ Ok i am just foolin a bit~~ but please give us that info~~ we will surely comment on it~speculating again! why don't you give him the four years, and then see?? if it blows up in face~~ or can you fortell the future?

Ok are we playing a guessing game here cause your post makes no sence to me ..could you be a little more specific and a little less catty ??? My neck of the woods ??? speculate on what ??

SSC wrote:Ok are we playing a guessing game here cause your post makes no sence to me ..could you be a little more specific and a little less catty ??? My neck of the woods ??? speculate on what ??

guess you are!!speculating what will happen in the future.. read your past posts I do not think torture is going to save our country, from anything~~ and that people are dissatisfied with Obama~~ maybe your neck of the woods? pay attention ssc~

SSC wrote:Rosco, a good point ..Obama has already angered blacks by not backing a suit he had committed to , now with the attempt at jeopardizing American security by pursuing this issue of waterboarding and other high security matters , he seems to be leaving some gaping holes in our defense system. What he thinks will be accomplished by all of this is beyond me. Holder is out to make a name for himself.
If they go after one administration then they might as well go farther back to Clinton and Reagan.
The whole scenario is utterly ridiculous, but with such a vindictive president as we have now who is attempting to make points for himself by picking the bones of the Bush administration I guess this is how he is attempting to keep his ratings. But I do believe in time it will blow up in his face. This is not healing nor going forward. This is dividing the masses even more.

///

this is the post i was referring to.. pay attention dear~

PROMISES, PROMISES: Obama and black farmers
By BEN EVANS



WASHINGTON (AP) — As a senator, Barack Obama led the charge last year to pass a bill allowing black farmers to seek new discrimination claims against the Agriculture Department. Now he is president, and his administration so far is acting like it wants the potentially budget-busting lawsuits to go away.
The change isn't sitting well with black farmers who thought they'd get a friendlier reception from Obama after years of resistance from President George W. Bush.
"You can't blame it on the Bush administration anymore," said John Boyd, head of the National Black Farmers Association, which has organized the lawsuits. "I can't figure out for the life of me why the president wouldn't want to implement a bill that he fought for as a U.S. senator."
At issue is a class-action lawsuit known as the Pigford case. Thousands of farmers sued USDA claiming they had for years been denied government loans and other assistance that routinely went to whites. The government settled in 1999 and has paid out nearly $1 billion in damages on almost 16,000 claims.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...laJRQD97MN1100

Thank you deary you jumbled post had me confused didn't know you were refering to post so far back..

ahh!! so much to do, I think it will be solved or paid attention too` give the man eight years LOL before you bitch~ bet he/they were republican like you ssc~
see i don't have that problem,it is the man/woman who can do the job~I will be the first to comment on that whether it be a dem or repub in office~~

Hopefully in 4 years this country comes to realize we are now mired in debt in less than 100 days it will take 21 years to pay off, especially since the country ran out of money today, earliest date in history. We can affort much more of Obamas rampant spending, especially the billions already wasted.

your link to black farmers didn't work LOL I will try it again~
maybe not ,in four years i don't think anyone could completely turn this mess around, in that length of time.your post was invalid~ as meemoon and others stated including me it will take many years to correct plus we were mired in debt before obama took office he has to fix Bushes bungling~ also~

SSC wrote:Hopefully in 4 years this country comes to realize we are now mired in debt in less than 100 days it will take 21 years to pay off, especially since the country ran out of money today, earliest date in history. We can affort much more of Obamas rampant spending, especially the billions already wasted.

ssc the gov runs out of money this time every year it is end of budget year, or something to that order~~ it happens,a gov thingy` not just because obama is president

Wrong if you paid attention to last nights posts this is the earliest date in history for the country to run out of money, and take you little tongue smilie and stick it in your ass.

wrong, it happens every year so if it is early!! is it leap year LOL so what,I think the past eight years that happened also,and probably during other administrations~haha wow! now your getting nasty,why is that ssc?

oh and a reminder your link didn't work on the black farmers post~

the article came from the Baltimore Sun, if you are that worried it is authentic go hunt it up yourself

Me nasty , no way...you must be confused again

ssc a question?? since you have poked ,punched ,called me anti american F**k you and stick my tongue up my ass! and everything else..are you prejudice?

SSC wrote:the article came from the Baltimore Sun, if you are that worried it is authentic go hunt it up yourself

Me nasty , no way...you must be confused again

////
yes your nasty,no I am not confused~~ you are and have always been~ in my post I stated why you are~really why should i! I have been told many times to produce the right link and to clean it up~ isn't this fun!!

The very reason I opted to not reply to your PM..I don't want to be your friend, don't care if you like me or not , and I choose to not like you.

SSC wrote:The very reason I opted to not reply to your PM..I don't want to be your friend, don't care if you like me or not , and I choose to not like you.

I never asked you to be my friend,I don't need you as a friend,I offered my hand in truce,I do not accuse, or attack or jump on a band wagon to make fun or accuse~ it is your choice as it is mine,I offered, the ball is in your court~ my pm was something a person who use to be here suggested solve it in pms, so as not to clutter up the board in taunts,accusations,threats or making fun

number one]]I am not dumb

I can keep up if you can
You do not harm me! if that is your aim when you say f**k u and other vulgar terms that just makes me more determined to post and voice my thought,I hold no vendettas/grudges ,or hate against you, and your hateful posts against me,I know you don't believe in God,but i forgive you and turn the other cheek~~ and not meant as vulgar~ I have done nothing to you to warrant your anger! I wish you all the best,

It's not going to work Gypsy, your victim roll and calling a truce..don't think so, I am very content in just the way i am , to much water under the bridge .

no problem,it shows the kind of person you are~I am not the one bickering and calling names~ and i sure am not a victim as you try to make me~ i m a good person`but as all, I can work on improvement >LOL and being better so i will as usual post and voice, if you don't like it.. Tough!! Oh Happy Sunday it is beautiful here,

gypsy wrote:your link to black farmers didn't work LOL I will try it again~
maybe not ,in four years i don't think anyone could completely turn this mess around, in that length of time.your post was invalid~ as meemoon and others stated including me it will take many years to correct plus we were mired in debt before obama took office he has to fix Bushes bungling~ also~

No I did not say we were
mired in debt
before O bama took office. Yes, the Congress authorized TARP at about 800 billion in total. And yes that was a Bush initiative. It was done to avoid wide-spread failure of major investment companies and banks.I did say and still say that the stimulus bill was a false front for the aggrandizement of the Democrats as the "party that cares". The Demo aparatchicks, just like the Repubs,only care about votes. I made this clear,I thought.