Thanks for that link. Sen. Schumer will forever be in my dog house for giving us the deplorable Mukasey. Mukasey is even worse than the top level torture policy makers/deciders because he came well after it was more than obvious that the Bush Administration had politicized the DOJ and the extensive lawlessness and damage that resulted. For Mukasey to defend all this lawlessness as our nation's top attorney is beyond words I can come up with to describe. And his co-authored article you linked in the WSJ shows his true, sick colors.

We clearly have another broken system nationally, and in state and county governments when we let politics determine who gets the job and the decisions made are more to seek higher office than to seek justice or support the rule of law. We should start nationally by totally separating the Attorney General from the Executive Branch.

Obama consulted widely on memos (see sig)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090416/pl_politico/21338

CIA interrogation tactics: a terrifying ordeal

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090417/ap_on_go_pr_wh/torture_memos_tactics

Interrogation Memos Detail Harsh Tactics by the C.I.A.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/us/politics/17detain.html?hp

The mostly not redacted memos release either means they are trying to shut the door on prosecutions or it is an invite to push even harder for prosecutions of the top leaders who set the policy. If it's the former, I guess I should just fold my tent and accept how terible our country is (that's more directed at others than you), if it is the latter, now is the time to get busy. I always prefer action to inaction. Just have never been able to get excited about inaction or woe is us thinking. Guess that is why I have chosen to be a pessimistic optimist.

The pushing should be as much at congress as at Obama-Holder.

Olbermann Special Comment: Olbermann: We cannot let mistakes of the past haunt our future (see sig)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30254996 (video)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30254776/ (transcript)

Countdown: Howard Fineman discusses Bush torture memos

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30254958

Countdown: John Dean discusses memos and no prosecution of interrogators

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30254981

to attempt to get a response is so phony that it doesn't deserve a response.

Dear ACLU Supporter,

In response to an ACLU lawsuit, the Justice Department just released four memos that provided the basis for the Bush administration's illegal torture program. 

We'll have more to say about the horrific content of these memos in the days ahead, but in the meantime we commend the Obama administration for making good on its commitment to transparency. We also commend concerned citizens like you who have supported and fought alongside the ACLU’s legal team in the long struggle to get these crucial memos released. 

But exposing the truth is only the first step. It’s now imperative that the Justice Department investigate issues of criminal responsibility for the crimes that took place in the CIA’s secret prisons.

The ACLU has been fighting for the truth about torture and detainee abuse for more than five years. This is a major breakthrough, but we must continue to demand a thorough criminal investigation.

The torture memos should never have been written -- the actions they justified violated domestic and international law and damaged America’s reputation in the world. They authorized interrogators to use the most barbaric interrogation methods, including methods that the U.S. once prosecuted as war crimes. It’s now the Justice Department’s responsibility to make sure that the architects of the torture program are held accountable. Senior officials who authorized torture should not be shielded from investigation.

Make a donation today to support the fight for a thorough criminal investigation and to get the truth out.

http://tinyurl.com/cudjs7 (see sig)

an Update III regarding the important role of the ACLU and forcing Holder to prosecute. Have you signed this petition yet?

Petition to Attorney General Eric Holder: Appoint a Special Prosecutor (see sig)

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/Prosecutor

I realize that government memos can be of any length, but when the average person thinks of memo they think of something very short and concise. These four memos are what the military would call a regulation or a civilian would think of as detailed work requirements. Can someone come up with a better term, because most people will hear or read memo and have no idea of how lengthy and detailed these memos are.

I bring this up because we need to do whatever we can to get far too many Americans to wake up and realize the depths and lengths of depravity they contain.

It is in the 5-10-05 fourth Bradbury memo on page 14 (by my pdf doc counter) under number 13 and the para starts out with, "During the use of the waterboard, a physician ..." It also has the footnote 19 at the end of it.

I have been reading Glenn longer than you I believe and IMHO he has always been balanced about Obama and for that matter about everything he has written about. Of course you are entitled to your opinion.

Did you note the part where they said you will have an expert standing by with the proper tools to perform a tracheotomy if something went wrong during the waterboarding?

Update II up.