McCain: Don't Prosecute Over Interrogations

By: Igor Kossov
Topics: Congress

(AP)

Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) sent President Obama a letter today in which they expressed strong concern about his decision to leave the door open to the possible prosecution of officials who crafted controversial Bush administration policy on detainee interrogations.

"Pursuing such prosecutions would, we believe, have serious negative effects on the candor with which officials in any administration provide their best advice, and would take our country in a backward-looking direction at a time when our detainee-related challenges demand that we look forward," the letter said.

It went on to say that such prosecutions would have a "seriously chilling effect" on the ability of lawyers to provide legal counsel to the United States.

Adding weight to the letter is its authors' stance on torture. McCain is an outspoken critic of interrogation methods such as waterboarding, having experienced harsh treatment himself. Graham had pushed for greater oversight in detainee interrogation. And the two senators, along with Sen. Carl Levin (D- MI), were responsible for the Detainee Treatment Act, which prohibits inhumane treatment of war prisoners.

The three senators drafted the letter in response to Mr. Obama's statement Tuesday that prosecution of the legal officials is not out of the question. "With respect to those who formulated those legal decisions, I would say that is going to be more of a decision for the attorney general within the parameters of various laws, and I don't want to prejudge that," said the president.

His statement came on the heels of several memorandums that showed that lawyers authorized the use of "enhanced" interrogation techniques by the CIA such as waterboarding, stress positions and exposure to cold during the Bush administration.

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by toldyouso29 April 26, 2009 10:46 AM EDT: Torture, pulling out fingernails, sticking bamboo shoots under fingernails, mutilating various body parts, severe beatings like Rodney King got, These types of activities are/were torture, not the things the US did to enemy combatants.
Posted by I_am_me1953 at 5:44 AM : Apr 23, 2009

If what America did is NOT torture, then we are guilty of MURDER. Because after WWII, America helped to sentence many Japanese soldiers to DEATH...for waterboarding.; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso29 April 26, 2009 10:44 AM EDT: Let's see... 3 warmongers and apologists for the Iraq war say don't prosecute? If ever there was a sign to go ahead for the sake of the country; the sight of the 3 war stooges bleating don't do it--should be a nova sized green light.

If America does not prosecute, we are liars, hypocrites who impose rules and judgments on other countries for doing the same things but hold ourseves above the law.

We also solidify the way for the next dictator..er President to do similar things.

Here's a remedy: STOP HIRING LAWYERS (NATURAL BORN LYING SOCIOPATHS) TO LEAD OR RUN OUR COUNTRY. The morality, decency or empathy among such a group is practically nil.

all of them out--and do not fall for their campaign lies.....; Reply to this comment


by donshaeffer April 23, 2009 2:01 PM EDT: The concept of international laws is based upon standards, albeit minimum standards, that countries are expected to follow. The Bush administration apparently did not adhere to standards that we expect the rest of the world to adhere to. If they - the Bush Administration - failed then some consequences for illegal actions are required else international laws have no meaning.
We, American citizens, demanded retribution upon the Nazi regime after WWII, are we so immune from moral conscience that we fail to hold the same standards for ourselves?
A full and apropriate airing of offenses need to made so as to, if deemed appropriate, let the offenders receive their just rewards.; Reply to this comment


by abbe91 April 23, 2009 10:03 AM EDT: "Don't let them sleep? Have you ever had a sick kid that kept you up all night for a few nights in a row? Was that torture?"
Posted by I_am_me1953 at 5:44 AM : Apr 23, 2009

You can go as far as killing somebody with sleep deprivation.; Reply to this comment


by ianlou April 23, 2009 9:54 AM EDT: Once again --- Obama is a failure.
One Term Obama ...........
Posted by UR_Majesty at 8:24 PM : Apr 22, 2009

With a 66% approval rating?

Now explain to us how GW Bush was a sucess with a 26% approval rating.; Reply to this comment


by ianlou April 23, 2009 9:49 AM EDT: Gee, Maybe you should READ he is still against it moron. God is it a requirement for democrats NOT to be able to read? I guess the scumbucket on this site is people like you
Posted by dj292009 at 8:52 PM : Apr 22, 2009

I get it.

Its kind of like the Chicago Police saying:

We don't approve of Bootlegging and Murder, but we feel that any investigation into the activities of Al Capone would be counter productive to the City of Chicago.

We want to look forward, not backword...

Blah.......Blah.........Blah.........; Reply to this comment


by hakori April 23, 2009 9:11 AM EDT: It's disturbing how som many conservatives here still defend torture, which is a crime under US and international law. I NEVER thought I'd see the day America tortured, and I certainly never thought I'd see the day that Amerikans would defend the practice. No one is above the law. If this goes unpunished, then the Obama adminstration is guilty as well.; Reply to this comment


by cbeess April 23, 2009 9:04 AM EDT: FBI what are you waiting? to let all the truths about Obama and Obatronics to come out? what? and are you going to treat the next terrorist attack as a crime-case? or as what it is? A TERROR ATTACK? bu terrorists!

Do NOT COUNT on CIA much less blame CIA, you understand what I'm saying.

Get guts FBI, get guts. Now that the sh*t alredy hit the fan let all thruths out! Dont be afraid, dont be concerned.
Thruth is thruth!
Isnit.; Reply to this comment


by mrs_entity April 23, 2009 8:48 AM EDT: You liberals need to stop all of this before God gets angry and strikes the country with pestilence!; Reply to this comment


by I_am_me1953 April 23, 2009 8:44 AM EDT: I am not for torture, BUT, could someone please define what torture is. From some of the records released most
of the "torture" was more inconviencing the detainees.

Don't let them sleep? Have you ever had a sick kid that kept you up all night for a few nights in a row? Was that torture?

Putting the detainee in a cold room in Cuba? Hot as he11 in Cuba, seems a cold room woul;d be appreciated.

Some of these things the Amry, Navy, Marines, Air Force use on our soldiers during SERE training to train them as to what can happen if they are captured, including "waterboarding".

Torture, pulling out fingernails, sticking bamboo shoots under fingernails, mutilating various body parts, severe beatings like Rodney King got, These types of activities are/were torture, not the things the US did to enemy combatants.; Reply to this comment