I hand delivered a letter to his Portland office 3 weeks ago presenting evidence on why these rat bastards should be prosecuted (I did leave out calling them rat bastards). Included with the letter was a DVD copy of Taxi To the Dark Side. I'll have to check with my sources to see if it was screened.

Taxi won an Oscar for best documentary in 2008.

"Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something." President Obama in Prague on April 5

If members of Congress still insist that waterboarding is a war crime, maybe they could explain to the American people why they don't just go ahead and outlaw it?

I'll go on record saying, they never will outlaw waterboarding.

BOHICA - nice quote, the irony is hilarious! Those words were directed toward North Korea's test launch. Obama's actions since the test launch proves that violations weren't punished and Obama's words DON'T mean anything. I got a great chuckle out of that irony. Thanks.

I included that quote in my letters to Wyden. I delivered the same packet to Merkley.

Tell it, Senator!

To recap, and now we need some more senators and the administration to listen up, Obama has the power to remove John Rizzo from his civil service-protected position, and Wyden is frustrated Obama hasn't done just that.

Wyden is ready to do his duty and "sit as a juror" in the impeachment of Bybee, and was one of the few, the proud, who voted against the torture facilitator.

For those who ordered and facilitated torture, he is for referring evidence of their criminality to the Justice Department for prosecution.

All in all, It was a great job by Wyden of representing a sensible position for pursuing Bush torture, but I have a minor, cosmetic quibble, which is, what's with his blinking? Did anybody else notice that? Need some saline drops, senator?

At least he didn't blink when it came to articulating a coherent answer to whether BOHICA's torturing rat bastards should be hunted down like the rat bastards they are.

This is very encouraging. I had attributed Wyden's silence to a fear of being caught up in the whole mess. I think just maybe he's going to prove me wrong and I will gladly wipe the egg off my face with a smile if he does! Sen Wyden, thank you for this statement and I am looking forward to seeing what fruit your words bear in coming days.

Senator Wyden should start his questioning with Nancy Pelosi. You may want to read page A11 of today's Wall Steet Journal.

It details how Nancy was one of only 4 members of Congress

"briefed by CIA about interrogation methods the agency was using on leading detainees", states the article.

Quoting the Washington Post:

"The bipartisan group ...was given a virtual tour of the CIA's harsh techniques interrogators had devised to try to make their prisoners talk." " Among the techniques described", the story continues "was waterboarding".

So yes Senator Wyden, please do put Nancy under oath, and find out what she knew, and when she knew it.

Off Topic- Spectre just switched parties! We have a 60 vote filibuster beater once Franken joins the Senate.

Kari,

I truly expected better knowledge of the law from you.
Waterboarding can be used in rare and extreme circumstances. Remember the ticking timebomb situation that Congress said wouldn't tie a President's hands to used harsh interrogation techniques?

Also remember, last year, in a political posturing attempt the Dems passed a bill outlawing waterboarding and Bush promptly vetoed the bill. No Bush no more, so outlaw it.

Until this the Dems do is all sound and fury signifying the attempt to make criminals of your political opponents.

Man those Japanese solider are being purposely misrepresented for Democrat political purposes. The dems better get their facts straight on those Japanese soldiers. Hard labor for waterboarding alone isn't "executing soldiers for waterboarding."

Interesting coming from Wyden, who opposed Habeas Corpus rights for detainees at GITMO (back when gordon smith supported those rights). Im wondering if Wyden believes that he himself should be subject to prosecution as well for his position on the issue?

First, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence - that I serve on - we are out of the gates now. We've got people in place. We're doing the inquiry. Given the fact that many of us protested these interrogation techniques as soon as we found out, we are very motivated to get to the truth.

With Dianne Feinstein chairing that committee this investigation will more likely be a whitewash than the thorough, out-in-the-open job that is required. The other problem is that there are many people in Congress - Democrats and Republicans - who will be embarrassed by lots of information if it sees the light of day and they will do all they can to suppress release and exposure.

David Corn has a very interesting related article on the Mother Jones web site about The Problem With a Special Prosecutor

jonnie: The fact of DP hypocrisy doesn't make RP crimes less illegal, less immoral, or less reprehensible. There's a radical doctrine that apparently doesn't exist in your religion. It's called the Golden Rule.

Harry - RP crimes ='s DP crimes. Obama is using Bush's tactics with everything but waterboarding. Can't have it both ways.

If waterboarding is reprehensible, then the Dems should outlaw it! Why not send the same bill Bush vetoed in 2008 to Obama? Perhaps because 71% of voters think those techniques need to be used in extreme circumstances just as Bush did on three individuals?

The Dems in 2008 never had any intent on passing it and they won't pass it now. It was just a symbolic ploy for their lefty base during an election.

So the Dems trot out safe US Senators who are outraged. The Dems have been consistently toothless on this issue. Sound and Fury, Sound and Fury! Show Trial! Truth Commission! Give me a break!

Time for the Dems to put their money where their mouth is a revote on the 2008 bill. Put up or shut up. Show trials and truth commissions are for banana republics, facist regimes and totalitarian governments.

I say keep Enhanced Interrogation techniques, safe, legal and rare. At least my position doesn't kill a human life.

Show trials and truth commissions are for banana republics, facist (sic) regimes and totalitarian governments.

Wrong again, johnnie. There was a lot of "show" at the Nuremberg Trials, but they were applied to members of a former fascist regime. No sensible person would say the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission was run by a fascist government.

Another thing. This blog wasn't created for trolls spouting ill-informed drivel and regurgitating myths created on hate radio. Get the hint?

Billy - This one is for you. More non-ideological pragmatic insight from me. You say tomato I say tomoto. Tomato, Tomoto, tomato, tomoto...can't we just all get along?

Mission Accomplished Imagine if this had happened when George W. Bush was president. From The Wall Street Journal:

On Monday morning, one of the 747s used to ferry around the U.S. president was dispatched to the Statue of Liberty, escorted by a fighter jet. Assignment: Get some fresh glamour shots of the plane.

The Air Force said the flight needed to remain confidential. So while New York police knew about it, as did at least one person in the mayor's office, regular New Yorkers remained in the dark.

As a result, to onlookers Monday all across downtown Manhattan--where the World Trade Center once stood--the photo shoot looked like a terrorist attack. People watched in horror as a massive aircraft, trailed closely by an F-16 fighter jet, banked and roared low near the city, in a frightening echo of the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Fearing the worst, thousands of people streamed out of the skyscrapers and into the streets. Some buildings ordered evacuations. "Oh God, it was mayhem in here, just mayhem," says Rubin Shimon, manager of Styling Haircutters, a barbershop near Ground Zero. Many people took shelter in the shop to call loved ones on their cellphones.

At least Bush didn't set off a panic when he landed on that aircraft carrier all those years ago. We suppose it's too early for either centrist voters or the liberal media to sour on President Obama, but this is the sort of blunder that in due course could easily end up feeding a very destructive narrative. It certainly reflects Obama's greatest personal weakness, his vanity.

It's also a reminder of how tenuous is our post-9/11 complacency. Yesterday's panic in Manhattan shows that fear of terrorism is still there, just beneath the surface. As we've warned before, in light of Obama's dramatic (if less than substantive) repudiation of Bush-era antiterror policies, an actual terror attack could easily lead the public to sour on him and to demand far harsher policies than even Bush ever instituted.

At least Bush didn't set off a panic when he landed on that aircraft carrier all those years ago.

But he did start an illegal war that evolved into a crime against humanity and will very likely cost this nation two to three TRILLION dollars not to mention the hundreds of thousands of people who lost their lives or had them upended. But most of them were Iraqis about whom you probably don't give a shit in your morally bankrupt egocentric universe.

Thank you Ron.

At last we have some Democrats who aren't afraid to do the right thing.

Too bad Cheney will never serve a day in jail. I sure hope most of his co-conspirators go to jail for a long time.

Billy: Iraqis about whom you probably don't give a shit in your morally bankrupt egocentric universe.

Me: Are you talking about the Dems as well? The leader's begging for regime change in Iraq were Democrats most in power now, before GW was elected.

Pedro: What happened to your innocent until proven guilty? I guess that's only limited to people who you'd consider like-minded?

I'd like the honorable Senator to put his money where his mouth is and submit the 2008 bill outlawing waterboard. What say you Senator Wyden?

Since torture is already outlawed and waterboarding is torture and a war crime, no need for a new law.

Bodden: this is scary. I'm starting to completely agree with you! Oi!

BOHICA - Then why did the Dems pass the bill in '08? Since killing is outlawed and abortion and the death penalty kills a human life, then abortion and the death penalty are against the law -right? So no need for abortion or death penalty laws? Nice "logic" you spout.

So since you considered it torture to waterboard three terriorst, is it torture to waterboard US soldiers as part of the SERE training?

Should we stop waterboarding as part of our training? Should we investigate the commanders who authorize waterboarding to be part of SERE training? Should they be dishonorable discharged?

Again, learn about misconceptions about torture.

Jonnie is most aptly named, think you not, Kevin?

Very well said, Kevin. Not that it will have much effect.

Jeremy Scahill on The Nuremberg Truth and Reconciliation Commission?

Jeremy Scahill on The Nuremberg Truth and Reconciliation Commission? - http://www.counterpunch.com/scahill04292009.html

Well thanks Ron for speaking up on torture and following through on investigations.

<h2>So when are you going to stop acting like a Republican on health care?</h2>