The same Spanish court that indicted Chilean dictator Pinochet will announce on Tuesday that it will open criminal investigations of Alberto Gonzales, Douglas Feith, John Bybee, John Yoo, William Haynes, and David Addington for sanctioning torture at Guantanamo.
These are the lawyers from george bush's Departments of Justice and Defense who wrote the memos and provided the cover for allowing torture -- in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions and our own laws.
This has come up in connection with a case before this court involving terrorism charges against five Spaniards who were held at Guantanamo. A group of human rights lawyers filed the original complaint and asked the court to investigate. It was referred to their prosecutors who, after reviewing the charges, have now decided to proceed with investigations.
Two questions: Why have we not done this ourselves? and Why are not rumsfeld, cheney, and bush themselves included? Perhaps the answer is that these are all lawyers, and they are responsible for the legal opinions that allowed others to pretend they were operating within the law.
I don't think Obama is likely to order extradition, if it comes to that. So it will be a trial in absentia -- but still a very important development. That is, assuming that their investigation leads to indictments.
It will keep the issue alive and in the news, and it will mean that these men cannot travel outside the U.S. without the risk of being arrested and brought to trial.
Ralph
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This is large. Hard to ignore even if it's across the great waters. As the holocaust survivors say, "never forget." It's the only way to prevent the repetition of the past...
ReplyDeleteIt also sharpens the focus on why we aren't doing this ourselves, especially in light of the fact that a DoJ lawyer, I think one who was involved in Guantanamo, actually said we used torture.
ReplyDeleteI know Obama doesn't want his administration to get tied down in this; he's got too much else to do and wants to move forward with his agenda.
But he doesn't have to be involved; just don't lend support behind the scenes for NOT doing it. Congress can. The DoJ can. And, if he's worried about losing Republican support for his other programs (ie, blackmail), I say: what Republican support?