“I acted primarily because of the exceptional circumstances that surrounded these memos, particularly the fact that so much of the information was public,” President Obama said to CIA on Monday April 20th. President Obama went on to assure CIA operatives that, “You need to know you’ve got my full support.” Robert Gibbs, during his press conference on Monday, responded to the prospect of legal action against Bush administration officials that approved “torture” methods by saying that President Obama was looking forward and not going to hold those involved in the new “torture” methods will not be prosecuted. Rohm Emanuel said on Sunday when asked about retribution and accountability of the Bush Administration officials; Mr. Emanuel defended the position of the Obama administration of looking forward and not going after those that approved the “torture” techniques.
All of this rhetoric upset the liberal base of the Democrat party that had elected Sen. Obama to end the use of water boarding and other “torture” techniques while prosecuting those responsible for their approval. Less than 24 hours after Robert Gibbs saying President Obama is not looking backwards or establishing a review board on “torture” techniques used on Al-Qaeda operatives, President Obama has come out saying he is approving a “blue-ribbon” panel to investigate those involved.
When President Clinton was in office, I told many of my peers that if one wanted to do well in politics they need to study Clinton for success. Now that President Obama waffles on the investigating Bush administration approval of the CIA “torture” methods has President Obama read the Clinton playbook? President Obama is leaving the legal aspect of prosecuting Bush administration officials to the Attorney General and did not want to pre-judge and leave it to the legal experts. Didn’t President Obama go to Harvard Law School?
If President Obama did read the Clinton playbook in handling tough situations, along with mass media in his back pocket, the damage done will be minimal to Barak Obama but how will this investigation assist the image of the United States? Liberals want blood even if it weakens the country. President Obama took the proper steps by stopping further use of the technique of water boarding, which, according to proponents, assisted in discovering a plan to attack Los Angeles in the same manner done in New York.
The releasing of the CIA memos was done under the guise of verifying common knowledge; fine. To take the issue further will not be good for America nor will it assist in our improving image around the world. Other Intelligence Agencies around the world will not want to participate in sharing of information with the United States out of fear their techniques or methods may be exposed. The CIA operatives are put in a dangerous way since their abilities will be handcuffed.
It is time to move forward and not look to the past. President Obama needs to learn from Gerald Ford and his handling of President Nixon during the mid-1970’s. The CIA memos were released and the techniques have been ended. The money and time spent into further investigation will not benefit Americans nor will it help our Economy.
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