President Obama’s statement on the declassification of the torture memos.
Update [2009-4-16 16:9:10 by BooMan]: Here’s the link to the torture docs
The Department of Justice will today release certain memos issued by the Office of Legal Counsel between 2002 and 2005 as part of an ongoing court case. These memos speak to techniques that were used in the interrogation of terrorism suspects during that period, and their release is required by the rule of law.
My judgment on the content of these memos is a matter of record. In one of my very first acts as President, I prohibited the use of these interrogation techniques by the United States because they undermine our moral authority and do not make us safer. Enlisting our values in the protection of our people makes us stronger and more secure. A democracy as resilient as ours must reject the false choice between our security and our ideals, and that is why these methods of interrogation are already a thing of the past.
But that is not what compelled the release of these legal documents today. While I believe strongly in transparency and accountability, I also believe that in a dangerous world, the United States must sometimes carry out intelligence operations and protect information that is classified for purposes of national security. I have already fought for that principle in court and will do so again in the future. However, after consulting with the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and others, I believe that exceptional circumstances surround these memos and require their release.
First, the interrogation techniques described in these memos have already been widely reported. Second, the previous Administration publicly acknowledged portions of the program – and some of the practices – associated with these memos. Third, I have already ended the techniques described in the memos through an Executive Order. Therefore, withholding these memos would only serve to deny facts that have been in the public domain for some time. This could contribute to an inaccurate accounting of the past, and fuel erroneous and inflammatory assumptions about actions taken by the United States.
In releasing these memos, it is our intention to assure those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that they will not be subject to prosecution. The men and women of our intelligence community serve courageously on the front lines of a dangerous world. Their accomplishments are unsung and their names unknown, but because of their sacrifices, every single American is safer. We must protect their identities as vigilantly as they protect our security, and we must provide them with the confidence that they can do their jobs.
Going forward, it is my strong belief that the United States has a solemn duty to vigorously maintain the classified nature of certain activities and information related to national security. This is an extraordinarily important responsibility of the presidency, and it is one that I will carry out assertively irrespective of any political concern. Consequently, the exceptional circumstances surrounding these memos should not be viewed as an erosion of the strong legal basis for maintaining the classified nature of secret activities. I will always do whatever is necessary to protect the national security of the United States.
This is a time for reflection, not retribution. I respect the strong views and emotions that these issues evoke. We have been through a dark and painful chapter in our history. But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past. Our national greatness is embedded in America’s ability to right its course in concert with our core values, and to move forward with confidence. That is why we must resist the forces that divide us, and instead come together on behalf of our common future.
The United States is a nation of laws. My Administration will always act in accordance with those laws, and with an unshakeable commitment to our ideals. That is why we have released these memos, and that is why we have taken steps to ensure that the actions described within them never take place again.
In my gut I really have some mixed feelings about this. Turning our back on due process and the principles of justice and accountability for breaking the law in order to “move forward”. I just don’t know. A real sense of disappointment there.
It just adds a real sense of hollowness to this release of the memos.
I’m sure as I read many of the informed and intelligent opinions of others here, my feelings might be tempered a bit. But that’s where I am right now.
But what’s to stop any post-Obama administration from going right back to it–the inertia of doing it the ‘right way’ for 8 years?
Also depends on just what’s redacted.
Digging into the memos it looks like the redations are on the low side so that’s good.
Nothing. The story should be titled,”Torture is OK, but I’m not going to do it.”
Obama swore an oath to “preserve and protect the Constitution”. This does not do this. This echoes Bush’s,”The Constitution is a Goddamned piece of paper.”
What about honor killers? They believe they are doing right for the highest motives. Should they get a pass on prosecution too?
Moot point – more info out today Obama is not going to push for prosecution of cia folks involved in torture.
Hate to say I told you so…
The U.S. has little to no credibility.
So, they released what a lot of people demanded they release, without major redactions, but this still sucks because they won’t prosecute?
No. It sucks because from now on, if govern legal counsel says it’s okay to torture, you’re completely free to do so with no criminal consequences.
What does it say about the people who wrote the bullshit opinions?
Nothing. Which could mean anything.
You want to mold the legal minds of brand new students? Sure you do! Here’s some money!
everyone who cares knows his face. it would be easy enough to drive him from town.
just plaster his face everywhere on fliers that label him a torturer, shadow him everywhere he goes, harass him, put bumper stickers on his car that read “torturer”, follow him at the local grocery, slash his tires, throw red paint on his car, write letters to the editor identifying him as a torturer every time th eissue comes up, pay for billboards that embarrass the school, and generally make his life miserable until he leaves.
And that’s just the UN-creative stuff
that’s what I, personally, would do.
And you personally would be sued for harassment and criminally charged with stalking. The law protects him. But apparently not his victims.
i’m not talking about one individual doing this. I’m talking about the community at large.
There are, I would imagine, quite a few people in Berkeley California who object to John Yoo. And it would impossible to prosecute a group that large for every slight and every unpleasant exchange.
Like Amish shunning, but a bit more aggressive. Ostracism.