AG Holder orders Probe of CIA Interrogations

[Chris]

News here. (Link may be updated frequently, though this probe has been rumored for weeks, I expect the articles will be rapidly changing / evolving as news comes in and rumor gets filtered out).

This thread will have an extremely narrow focus. Namely, discussion better keep to the questions I use at the opening, or we'll take action as staff.

Questions:

1. Do you agree with AG Holder's move? Why or why not?

2. What good do you think will come out of the probe?

3. What bad do you think will come out of the probe?

4. Is the probe politically motivated, or is this a matter of principle on Holder's part?

As long as everyone keeps the focus narrow and the debate polite, we'll keep the thread open. Warnings, thread closures, etc will result from violation of these rules and the MOM 3rd edition rules.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by Chris

4. Is the probe politically motivated, or is this a matter of principle on Holder's part?

He has little choice.

There is a prima facie case to be made and there is no chance of sweeping it under the carpet (as the administration has repeatedly done) by saying they were just following orders.

As the report states that CIA officers were "involved the use of interrogation techniques that DoJ and Headquarters had not approved" it's clear that certain officers were acting outside the law.

The need for a proper inquiry and prosecution is made even more plain by the revelation that the officers involved realised that what they were doing was beyond the pale and "expressed unsolicited concern about the possibility of recriminations and legal action".

Leaving all that aside I still feel that the officers who were "just following orders" should also be prosecuted. It hasn't been a legally tenable defence since 1945.

[monster_mom]

1. Do you agree with AG Holder's move? Why or why not?

I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree. I think it's odd that DOJ attorney's would investigate previously closed cases to such an extent that whatever they supposedly presented to the AG justified re-opening closed cases.

2. What good do you think will come out of the probe?

Do I think there will be any changes in policy as a result of the probe? No. Not at all. The Obama Administration has already stated that rendition will continue to be used to obtain information from terror suspects.

3. What bad do you think will come out of the probe?

Do I think there will be any unintended, negative consequences as a result of the probe? I'm not sure. Some CIA officers will be zapped, but maybe they deserve to be zapped if they did abuse terror suspects in their custody.

4. Is the probe politically motivated, or is this a matter of principle on Holder's part?

The probe seems odd, in light of the Presidents statements that he'd prefer to focus on the future. Because of that I tend to think that probe may be politically motivated. Not a witch hunt against Bush Administration officials, but rather an attempt to focus attention away from Obama's efforts to nationalize health care and onto the Bush Administration.