Linkmeister

Pardon me?

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously wrote ""Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me."

Apparently Stuart Taylor thinks the politicians are different, too; they shouldn't be held accountable for their actions. Specifically, he thinks Bush should pardon "any official from cabinet secretary on down who might plausibly face prosecution for interrogation methods approved by administration lawyers."

He thinks a truth commission would be the appropriate way to find out what's been going on for 7 years.

Pardons would further a truth commission's most important goals: to uncover all important facts, identify innocent victims to be compensated, foster a serious conversation about what U.S. interrogation rules should be, recommend legal reforms, pave the way for appropriate apologies and restore America's good name. The goals should not include wrecking the lives of men and women who made grievous mistakes while doing dirty work—work they had been advised by administration lawyers was legal, and which they believed was necessary to prevent terrorist mass murder.

A criminal investigation would only hinder efforts to determine the truth, and preclude any apologies. It would spur those who know the most to take the Fifth.

"A criminal investigation would only hinder efforts to determine the truth." Um, somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the whole intent of criminal investigations was to determine what the truth about a crime was, including who committed it, the circumstances surrounding it, and possibly the motives behind it.

This is the media in "circle the wagons" mode. Who knows, if public officials were tried and convicted, the citizenry might come after the press for possible misdeeds next.

Posted by Linkmeister at July 16, 2008 10:21 AM | TrackBack