Events Come Full Circle: Possible Avoidance of Accountability | NowPublic News Coverage

13.5.09

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Sister Karen

George W. Bush, former two term 43rd President of the United States of America has been quoted as saying, in reference to his successor, the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama:

“I want the President to succeed,” also saying,“I love my country a lot more than I love politics … I’m not going to spend my time criticizing him... and"He deserves my silence."

Former President Bush's outlook has not been shared by former Vice President Richard 'Dick' Cheney, who has used every opportunity at his disposal, since he has left office, to offer his criticism and to heap predictions of doom and gloom upon the head of the Obama administration.

As the former vice president's critiques have played as a soundtrack, providing background noise and two part harmony for others defending the Bush administration, as they pick up the notes of Mr. Cheney's lament, former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice has now joined the chorus of those voices, having previously stated she agreed with former President Bush, that being that President Obama was owed her silence as well.

Of late, former Secretary of State Rice has offered her understanding and justification for the torture authorized by the Bush administration, which was eerily similar to the late President Richard M. Nixon's declaration that if the President does it, it isn't illegal.

After that statement, Dr. Rice attempted to clarify her remarks, saying that the President, meaning George W. Bush, would not do anything against the law, laying all that has transpired squarely on the shoulders of the former president.

As an 'unofficial' strategy, in an effort to influence public opinion, the world has been subjected to non stop commentary, proffered by Vice President Cheney

Dr. Rice's statement indicates, according to Dr. Rice, President Bush's concern for committing illegal acts. It is unknown if further revelation will provide the possible direct link to his involvement in the authorization of the torture techniques, renamed “enhanced interrogation techniques”, during his administration.

Despite the fact that all of the elements and facts surrounding the torture memos and acts committed using the memos as guidelines have not been fully disclosed, what has been made known reveals the Bush administration sought the aid of the Justice Department to craft memos justifying “enhanced interrogation techniques”, acts that were carried out in the name of the citizens of the United States.

As an 'unofficial' strategy, in an effort to influence public opinion, the world has been subjected to non stop commentary, proffered by Vice President Cheney, explaining how the techniques used weren't torture and his belief that the techniques used were successful, a statement disputed and voiced by several from within the intelligence community.

Dr. Rice's latest contribution to the strategy may be a hazy gaze at preparation for a convoluted verbal defense which attempts to take the entire discussion of torture full circle and beyond the realm of any prosecutions being conducted by the United States.

Although any decision of that nature is the purview of the Department of Justice (DOJ), it has been the stated opinion by the current Obama administration that all personnel shown to be following guidelines issued by the Bush administration's Justice Department, should not be prosecuted, including Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operatives.

That has always left open the door to the possible prosecution of those responsible for the redefining rationale and authorization of torture.

As Ms. Rice has been linked to the process of authorization, or has been characterized, merely passing it on, her latest, somewhat unexpected, declaration now embraces former President Bush and his involvement on some level and therein lies the completion of the circle.

As the former president is ultimately in charge of all who were involved in the decisions made as to how and when to torture, as alluded to by a former member of his inner circle, the National Security Council (NSC), all roads lead to the former president.

It can and may be offered that the former president relied on the advice of his advisors and the Justice Department, on his watch, for his information regarding the subject of torture, with the Justice Department being responsible for writing correspondence between the department and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on the subject of torture.

As the former president is described, by former Secretary of State Rice, as wanting to assure no laws were broken, when, not if but when, the determination is made that laws, federal and international, were broken, for the United States' part, it is almost a given reality that no sitting United States president will call for the prosecution of a former U.S. President.

After the completion of an investigation, began by the Bush administration, which began investigating itself, it has been suggested that maybe the attorneys that worked on the torture memos should be reviewed for the possibility of being disbarred, the only reference for any action to be taken regarding the torture memos that authorized the use of torture, renaming it “enhanced interrogation techniques”.

The current Department of Justice (DOJ), headed by Eric Holder, has the authority to write its own opinion, if assessments and evaluations of the documentation, included in the report, are contrary to the conclusions reached by the soon to be released report, possibly launching another investigation, with the chances of the latter eventuality occurring seemingly a long shot.

It may be international law that will be called upon to address the issues of criminality that arise as all of the activities that occurred become known, activities that were perpetrated and rationalized in the name of the people of United States of America.

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Labels: Bush administration, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush