Torture prosecution

President Obama released the CIA memos outlining controversial techniques that were used for interrogating suspects. Many people (myself included) consider the things we did to prisoners to be torture.

President Obama said that there will be no...

prosecutions of people who used techniques outlined in the memos on prisoners. Previously he also said that charges would not be brought against the officials in the Bush administration who approved these techniques.

Am I alone in thinking that either the memos should not have been released or if they were released that those implicated should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law? It seems to me that acknowledging that crimes have been committed but not seeking prosecution is the worst of both worlds.

amblessed, never been in the military myself but others who served told me that even soldiers can refuse an order if they believe it illegal or immoral. I was just following orders was not accepted at the Nuremberg trials and Pvt Lynndie England was convicted for abusing prisioners at Abu Ghraib, served almost 2 years in a brig, received a dishonorable discharge and is still in parole.

My question is not about the interrogators or the legal opinions that lead to enhanced interrogation but Obama's choice to release the memos but block prosecution of anyone. If there is no legal recourse at this time than I don't think it was proper to release the memos.

This administration just said it would be unfair to punish those who were doing what was legally authorized.

I think also,...that the legal definition of the word torture is not defined by water boarding, sleep deprivation, and bound nakedness.

p

Well, while physical torture is an ineffective way of getting information, every country does it. At least, their intelligence agencies do it. Doesn't make it right, but the only ones who can change that are the people we vote in. And unfortunately, that job is left to the uneducated majority.

I just simply think those records should never have been released to public, and they cant prosecute for what was legally authorized.

At least they already brought the issue to public, and those who violate the law and those who are working as prison guards should learn and avoid it.

Tortures happen everywhere even though it is prohibited by the law, if you talk to people come from China, North Korea, or Vietnam they'll tell you how bad it is in these countries.

Don't forget South America. Like Argentina? That was horrible in the 80s.

*** It seems to me that acknowledging that crimes have been committed but not seeking prosecution is the worst of both worlds.

This is a tough one. If you are soldier following orders which have the highest approval, is it really fair to be held accountable for executing those orders? If anyone should be held accountable, it should be whoever approved it, not those who executed it.

This affair has deteriorated my (very positive) opinion of the new US administration.
I thought that the Adolph Eichmann case would have been a global-historical lesson.

Well, I signed a petition to remove the guy who authored one of the letters from his position as a judge here in California...personally, I think the whole administration should be tortured the same way and then see, afterwards, how they felt about it.

Trouble is, with the US consuming 1/3 the world's resources having only 5% of the population...well, it's a bit much to do anything *less* than treat other countries and their citizens in the same fashion we'd treat our own.