I've been very frustrated with politics for a very long time because I see very little (if any) difference between the major parties. There are exceptions. Honorable people like Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul might seem like opposites, but on the main issues of war, peace, and constitutional fidelity, they have far more in common with each other then they do with the 'noble center' [sarcasm] of either party. If the parties aren't going to hold each other accountable, then in effect we have one party rule -- a single party with fading factions and a growing single voice.

MSNBC just had a good discussion about what is happening in Gaza. The reason they had a good discussion was because they had Queen Noor of Jordan as a guest. She was driving the discussion and made everyone move towards her position which is the same position that Glenn has been arguing.

Thank you Mr.Greenwald for, once again, writing about a succinct observation. I appreciate all of your thoughts.

Maybe there is a desire to not put away more criminals because the prisons are already full.

This should rank right up there with the drive to decriminalize drugs.

All this moral relativism would be decried if it were threatening the status quo. I witnessed something amazing on Morning Joe this morning. Joe is out of pocket and Mika was on point. She brought Queen Noor who I am reminded is perhaps the most eloquent spoke-person for those dirty semites that we are all encourage to hate with impunity.

I worry about the cost of empire on this country. The closest remedy would be to be bound by laws. Perhaps someone should punch Bush in the face--this isn't violence--and then ask for equal protection.

"There is just a yawning disconnect between the nature of the crimes allegedly committed (and, in many cases, essentially admitted): waging aggressive war, torture, secret prisons, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, obstruction of justice, perjury, conspiracy -- to the point where it would probably take an army of Patrick Fitzgeralds and a full-time war crimes tribunal a year just to catalogue them all -- and how the story is being treated in the corporate media. . . ."

When WaPo had a discussion the other day about the Bush/Cheney legacy I submitted the following question. Naturally my question was not answered.

Can you explain why there is such a disconnect between average Americans, who strongly believe that in order to restore the rule of law in this country Obama must have the Justice Dept. investigate and prosecute Bush administration war crimes, and the beltway insiders who inexplicably advocate a let bygones be bygones - we must move on opinion concerning Bush administration war crimes? Why do the insiders advocate a two tiered system of justice in this country?

That's the key to understanding all of this - the reluctance to hold the Bushies and other Washington insiders accountable for their lawbreaking, and also for the intractability of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. That is not to say that corruption, craven journalism, and a myriad other factors aren't explanation as well. But those kinds of things are more likely in an wolrd defined by resource constraints.

Unfortunately, it does not bode well for the future, since the world has only recently tipped from one of relative resource abundance, to one of relative resource scarcity. Expect more conflict around the globe, and more erosion of democratic institutions and traditions in the US.

With today's report that Israel has shelled a UN compound in Gaza with white phoshorus, how will Bush and the Village respond? This is a double war crime: 1) shelling a relief agency that is sheltering refugees, and 2) using white phosphorus for anything other than night-time illumination. I dug out Bush's statement after the bombing of the UN compound in Baghdad. It's a very strong condemnation of that attack by terrorists. This action by Israel is further confirmation of yesterday's post about the definition of terrorism.

Will Bush use the same strong language to condemn this attack, or will he flush it down the memory hole? An Oxdown Diary with the details linked at my name. At the very least, both AP and CNN are reporting on the shelling and relaying that white phosphorus was the cause of the fire that still burns out of control, consuming a warehouse full of relief supplies.

We could have Guantanamo ready for new guests within three months according to lawyers for the detainees still housed there:

January 12, 2009-Center for Constitutional Rights releases: “Closing Guantanamo and Restoring the Rule of Law”

http://ccrjustice.org/files/12.01.09_CCR%20Report_Closing%20Guantanamo.pdf

“The reality is that the restoration of the rule of law to [Guantanamo]—and this country—should be significantly less complicated than the dismantling of the law has been. The time to close Guantánamo is long overdue—and it can be done in three months. […]”

...I'm wondering, was this a newer, more emphatic statement by OS that he has absolutely no intention of even a cursory investigation into the Bushie regime?

I know, of course, that I'm pre-judging OS, and he's really quite craftily saying he'll do one thing while secretly plotting to do the exact opposite once he's in.

"Not enough space in prisons?"

I think you've made a basic mistake with that assumption.

Notwithstanding the apparent unlikelihood of criminal investigations commencing, followed by justice being served upon the perpetrators if found guilty, the fact is most of these guys are a) white, b) rich and c) "well-connected".

If they were found guilty of any crimes, do you honestly think they would serve time in the kind of prisons that are full of Hispanics, African Americans and White Trash? They would either be kept under so-called house arrest, or "spend time" in an open "prison". There's no way they'd actually get sent to a real prison (although the thought of Bush and Cheney in orange boiler suits, chained together and working on a roadside clearing gang, is one to warm the cockles of anyone's heart)

Modern America recalls nothing so much as Imperial Rome - different standards of justice and retribution are applied to individuals depending on their wealth, heritage and standing in society.