Americans [heart] Torture

"I've said to the people that we don't torture, and we don't." George Walker Bush

We are all so used to being lied to by the Bush administration, that I wonder if anyone really cares about this lie? But they should, because it bruises the reputation of what I once believed was a wonderful country. But if administrations can torture humans, lie about it to its own civilians, and when caught in that lie get away scot-free, well then why don't we just rip up our constitution and change our name to Burma or North Korea?

Here is how you can preserve our constitution and our great country:

sign a petition at Democrats.com

sign a petition at MoveOn.org

John Yoo of UC Berkeley Could be in Trouble, FINALLY

From the BBC:

CIA memo prosecutions 'possible'

Barack Obama said he could support a congressional investigation

US President Barack Obama has left open the possibility of prosecuting officials who wrote CIA memos allowing harsh interrogation techniques.

It would be up to the attorney general whether to prosecute, Mr Obama said.

The memos detailed a range of methods the CIA could use on terrorism suspects under the Bush administration.

Mr Obama had said he would not use anti-torture laws to prosecute CIA personnel who relied in good faith on legal opinions issued after 9/11.

The BBC's James Coomarasamy in Washington says the president's comments marked a change of tone amid growing pressure from the Democratic Party not to rule out potential prosecutions.

"With respect to those who formulated those legal decisions, I would say that that is going to be more of a decision for the attorney general within the parameters of various laws," Mr Obama said.

He also said he could support a congressional investigation of the issue if it was conducted in a bipartisan way.

'Very complicated'

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel had previously said in a television interview that the administration did not want to pursue those who "devised policy".

As a general view, I do think we should be looking forward, not back President Barack Obama Cheney enters 'torture' memos row Q&A: Waterboarding

The memos revealed that two al-Qaeda suspects were subjected to waterboarding - a technique which simulates drowning - 266 times.

Other methods mentioned in the memos include week-long sleep deprivation, forced nudity and the use of painful positions.

Former Vice-President Dick Cheney has said the techniques produced results.

He has called for the release of additional documents that he said would show what the techniques yielded.

On Thursday, when the memos were released, Mr Obama said CIA personnel working from Bush administration legal opinions would not be prosecuted.

His comments drew criticism from human rights organisations and UN officials, who say charges are necessary to prevent future abuses and in order to hold people accountable.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Mr Obama said the episode involved a "host of very complicated issues".

An investigation would be acceptable, he said, "outside of the typical hearing process" and with "independent participants who are above reproach".

He added: "As a general view, I do think we should be looking forward, not back.

"I do worry about this getting so politicised that we cannot function effectively and it hampers our ability to carry out critical national security operations."

Search for the Controversy Over this Dog

The Obama's have picked a dog. I can't wait to see what the party of haters, aka the GOP, have to say about this. You know windbags like Rush Limbaugh and chronic lair Sean Hannity have their researchers and writers on a negative campaign against Barack's 10- and 7-year old daughters' new puppy as we celibrate Passover and Easter (or play videogames like I am doing). For Reagans sake, a Kennidy gave the dog to the Communist/Socialist/Muslim president...