This would set a great contrast between the old torturers and the new hope.

Then, an investigation. A steady, plodding investigation, with no attempts at headlines for a year or even longer. And then, a quick, no-nonsense but no-censorship revelation of the investigation results. Some people will talk, especially, maybe, if they already have been pardoned.

Finally, a revision of US laws to ban torture forever.

beyond the reach of the law, too hard to catch,too hard to prosecute-

maybe even the dimmest will begin to understand that america is well on the road to fascism. but, hey, no ones knocking my door down, so what's the problem?

the constitution doesn't work. the defenders of the law are a separate class, commonly called politicians, whose interests are not with the law, but with power, personal power.

the cure is democracy, but the disease is far advanced. 46% still voted for a republican in the face of overwhelming evidence of treasonous assault on the constitution, and those who voted for obama imagine he is different in kind to other politicians. reality is beginning to pierce this fantasy already.

it wouldn't matter much, but oligarchy and capitalism have lead humanity to the brink of catastrophic environmental collapse. they are not likely to lead humanity back to survival.

"If we had a pardon followed by something like a truth and reconciliation commission, that might not be such a bad outcome."

Sorry, but who would these criminals "reconcile" with? The dead? The tortured? The maimed? The now-insane? Please, suffice it to say these war criminals are going to get away with it because they can. As long as the United States isn't Rwanda, Congo, Serbia or any other nation that lacks geopolitical power, its "leaders" can commit crimes with impunity and answer to no one. This can be cloaked in all manner of legal/ethical/political niceties, but that one fact remains--the globally powerful can abuse the rest of humanity as they choose and they will never, never, be held to account.

There is another remedy available that would avoid the pardon power entirely. I harbor no illusions that the incoming Congress will have the testicular fortitude to act, but the mere expiration of their term of office does not mean that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are no longer subject to impeachment proceedings.

Paragraph 7 of Article I, § 3 of the Constitution states:

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

The expiration of the current president's term does not make impeachment moot; the House can still investigate and vote articles of impeachment, with the Senate to determine disqualification from holding federal office in the future.

This is not a mere academic question. After serving as president, John Quincy Adams served in the House of Representatives and William Howard Taft served as Chief Justice of the United States. After serving as vice-president, Richard Nixon and Geoge H. W. Bush served as president and Hubert Humphrey served as a U. S. Senator. Walter Mondale served as Ambassador to Japan and was nominated to run for the Senate from Minnesota when Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash.

Here's hoping that the next Congress will pursue articles of impeachment as to whether President Bush has taken care that the laws be faithfully executed as to torture, electronic surveillance, and such other topics as the Congress may deem appropriate.

Norman Rockwell really did have a knack for capturing everyday scenes, like this one of Democrats and Republicans working together...

http://tomoki.tea-nifty.com/tomokilog/images/whitewash_1.jpg

True Bipartisanship!

Just as soon as they get done dealing with Lieberman!

Of COURSE Bush will issue the pardon. Since when has this illegal regime masquerading as the Executive Branch of our government done otherwise? Accountability is a foreign term to Bush and his lot and his legacy is so tarnished already, one more massive "flip of the bird" to the American public is well within his infantile thinking.

I hope he does it. Then we would have all the circumstantial evidence we'd need to convict Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld in the court of public opinion. I can't imagine any respected historian rising to their defense after Bush's de facto admission to all the lawlessness. Lets not forget the naked attempt and aggressive lobbying on behalf of the telecoms for aiding in Bush's illegal wiretapping scheme. I would bet we could find some very clever legal minds to find a way to bring charges against this bunch. President Obama initiates the aforementioned investigation and finally this mess all gets dragged into the light of day. If we succeed in vilifying Bush, Cheney, and the rest of the neocon criminals who abetted their criminal behavior, then perhaps their apologists would finally shut up and skulk off to never be heard from again.

So tell me ... Why was impeachment off the table?

15 of the 60 pictures the ACLU is fighting the administration about right now , to make public. Photos that prove it was much more widespread than "the night shift."

www.smh.com.au/ffximage/ 2006/02/15/abugrahib_

Even if Bush and Cheney can't do time - we can make their names synonmous with the cruel

and wanton criminals they are.When ever they appear in public the public can recoil with the disgust they deserve. . Hopefully the only speaking they can get is at some

fleabitten VFW at the edge of a vacant lot, where they'll have to fight to get a word in edgewise.

When American presidents were given this capacity, one doubts it was ever intended to extend to members of a president's self-same administration, for crimes against basic humanity or crimes against the Constitution itself.

If Chile, Argentina, Guatemala, and South Africa could have Truth Commissions, then certainly that great bastion of democracy and human rights, the United States, can do no less. Torture cannot be allowed to go unpunished, no matter how painful and humiliating its exposure might be to our country.

If George W. Bush and Dick Cheney authorized torture, as seems the case, then they are guilty of terrible crimes and must be brought to justice.