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CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

amanpour.blogs.cnn.com

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Re: CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

#4
Any country, except the United States.

> Prosecutions by the U.S. itself, however, seem very unlikely. In 2012, the Department of Justice said that “the Department would not prosecute anyone who acted in good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by the Office of Legal Counsel regarding the interrogation of detainees.”

Re: CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

#5
post #4

Any country, except the United States. > Prosecutions by the U.S. itself, however, seem very unlikely. In 2012, the Department of Justice said that “the Department would not prosecute anyone who acted in good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by the Office of Legal Counsel regarding the interrogation of detainees.”

Translated:

"We told you to break the law, so we won't hold you accountable for breaking the law".

OK. That'll hold up until somebody high ranking in the DOJ or State Department or $WHEREVER starts getting their feet held to the fire. IF that happens, I'm sure they'll sell out the underlings in the blink of an eye.

By analogy, it's like the head football coach who fires his offensive or defensive coordinator, in order to appease the owner and save his own job.

Re: CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

#6
It would actually be in the U.S.'s own interests to prosecute these CIA agents and their superiors.

First, this would show support for international laws against torture and help put the lid back on Pandora's box. This would directly reduce the probability of captured U.S. citizens being tortured. No, that probably does not include those captured by ISIL, but are rogue terrorist organizations all U.S. citizens will need to worry about both now and in the future?

Second, it would close a dangerous precedent. Prosecuting those who committed illegal acts, even though they were assured of immunity, sends a clear message that individuals are still responsible for their actions. Without this sense of individual responsibility U.S. agencies will be capable of utterly anything and, the way things work, capability becomes reality more often than not. Most Americans would sleep better knowing that the NSA's workers are accountable to the law rather than immune to it if their superiors say so, as is currently the case due to the precedent set by the CIA.

Third, the implications for future diplomacy are a nightmare if the U.S. does nothing. There will be no moral high ground for the U.S. to stand on if the U.S. refuses to seek justice.

Finally, it's the right thing to do. The U.S. could set an example for others to follow. To do nothing does precisely the opposite.

Re: CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

#8
post #6

It would actually be in the U.S.'s own interests to prosecute these CIA agents and their superiors. First, this would show support for international laws against torture and help put the lid back on Pandora's box. This would directly reduce the probability of captured U.S. citizens being tortured. No, that probably does not include those captured by ISIL, but are rogue terrorist organizations all U.S. citizens will n…

The prestige hit and vulnerability to "letting down the troops" criticisms will ensure this doesn't happen.

Re: CIA agents who tortured are vulnerable to prosecution in any country

#9
We've been over this already. US just fucking doesnt care. Extradition treaties are ONE WAY.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/13/italy-c...

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/31/obama-j...

One of kidnapper/torturer fuckers was even apprehended, and despite international arrest warrant magically released very next day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Seldon_Lady

Those people are untouchable. They will remain untouchable until real revolution in US, or some sort of vigilantism movement. Any official charges against them would expose whole chain of command up to CIA/NSA directors to legal action, it will never happen.

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