How many ways can we be in a recession?
Very Bad
Yesterday, the memos written by John Yoo that became the executive branch’s rationalization for torture, among other things, became public. The 81 page brief provides the rationale the executive branch employed (provided by a junior lawyer at the justice department) for unsettling scores of years of established law and engaging in torture. Commentary abounds.
Vanity Fair has written a breath-taking account of America’s role in torture. In 2006 Bush signed the Military Commissions Act, protecting the leaders involved from any future criminal prosecution. The VF article concludes with the consideration that blanket immunity exposes these government leaders and lawyers to war crimes prosecution internationally. One of the stipulations for international prosecution of war crimes is that the country of residence of the alleged law-breakers would not prosecute on their own. So by providing absolution from American prosecution, Rumsfeld, Bush, Yoo, etc are now exposed to prosecution by the world.
I can’t say whether the American government would ever allow high ranking administration officials to be prosecuted for such heinous acts. Then again, under Nixon’s presidency high ranking officials were prosecuted for Whitewater, his vice president resigned amidst bribery and tax evasion charges and ultimately Nixon himself stepped down.
At present no ranking officials have been held accountable for any actions ranging from gross intelligence failures leading up to 9/11, the complete mischaracterization of Iraq’s involvement to generate a war, or the American sponsored torture of prisoners.
I almost long for the days of our more moral corruption.