Preventing a repeat and regaining trust

I haven't been sure what to write about the release of the torture memos (as have been in the news), especially since some are convinced Obama will prevent prosecution and others are leaving the door open for the story to develop. But here are some voices worth noting.

Digby looks at how methodical the Bushies were in preparing their case for torture. This was not an emotional flailing and a rush to do something after 9-11. The legal and moral case was carefully laid out (even though it can never justify the results). These may have been people "just doing their jobs" (which didn't wash at Nuremburg, see Principle IV), but they were doing it at a level of consciousness far above the average bureaucrat. That's what makes it chilling.

Kos adds that's what makes it necessary to understand exactly what happened so that we can prevent it from happening again. The forces that want the whole issue to remain hidden are still strong and active. Please tell your president what you think to counter those that want to keep the issue hidden.

Other voices add:
Though the actual soldiers and agents who did the torturous acts might be shielded from prosecution (just doing their jobs), somebody -- better yet, everybody involved in authorizing torture -- should be held responsible. That is the only way other countries will believe that we have discarded the use of torture.

Ryan Rodrick Beiler of Sojourners Blog wrote:

"The notion that standards of moral behavior can be cast aside when we’re in danger is not one that I find support for either in scripture — my standard for such questions — or in international commitments to human rights, the world’s legal standard."