[Guardian Unlimited, U.K.]
Financial Times Deutschland, Germany
Obama Must 'Dispense
with Republican Sensibilities'
"The
president should instead focus on reconciling with his disappointed supporters.
This new course would gain credibility if Obama were to hold responsible, all former
officials of the Bush Administration who ordered questionable interrogation
methods - and if he were to personally give allegations of torture top priority
instead of hiding behind his attorney general."
EDITORIAL
Translated By Ulf Behncke
August 26, 2009
Germany - Financial Times Deutschland - Original
Article (German)
The break with the Bush era
has had to wait much longer that Barack Obama’s supporters had hoped. Only
after substantial opposition did the U.S. president agree to take a closer look
at the brutal methods of interrogation used by CIA operatives in the war on
terror and pursue criminal charges against the perpetrators. As understandable
as Obama’s initial hesitation may have been from a tactical point of view, it
is just as important now that he clearly commit to an in-depth investigation
and prosecutions.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
On the one hand, the CIA
report published on Monday provides a yet more horrifying glimpse into the
handling of suspected terrorists in the Bush era. Intelligence officials
weren’t just executing questionable requests. They went even further than the already
lax rules enacted for the war on terrorism allowed. With such clear violations
of the law, reference to higher levels of authority as a defense cannot be
considered a protection against criminal penalty.
On the other hand, arguments used
to justify Obama's caution are now obsolete. One must assume that as far as Bush’s
White House successor is concerned, his personal position on human rights abuse
had nothing to do with his stance of “looking forward as opposed to looking back."
When Obama took office he was
faced with a dilemma: although he wanted to bring about profound change in the
U.S., he felt he needed the support of the broader public - including those who
hadn’t voted for him. Obama's goal was to launch mammoth projects like the
economic stimulus package, a climate change bill, and reform of banking
regulations and the health care system. And more generally, he wanted to soften
the entrenched political positions of the Bush era and overcome the divisions in
American society. If as a result, the odd misdeed went unpunished, that was a
small price to pay for Obama to secure his larger goals.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
PAPERS FALLING FROM POUCH: 'INTERROGATION
METHODS'
[Het
Parool, The Netherlands]
Meanwhile, it appears neither
necessary nor expedient to pay much heed to the sensibilities of the Republican
camp. Important decisions in the battle against the economic crisis have long
since been made. And since the Republicans have embarked on an aggressive and
populist campaign against Obama's healthcare reforms, the bipartisan consensus
has been broken.
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
NRC Handelsblad, The Netherlands:
No Leniency for CIA Torture
The Economist, U.K.:
The CIA and Torture: There Must Be a Reckoning
Publico, Spain:
Torture Charges Filed Against Bush Legal Team; Judge Garzon Handles Case
Die Welt, Germany:
A Disgrace to the West: CIA Doctors Helped With Torture
Financial Times Deutschland, Germany:
Obama: Inviting the Next Torture Scandal
Die Tageszeitung, Germany:
America and Torture: 'Just Following Orders'
Hurriyet, Turkey:
Dick Cheney's Torture Logic is 'Deeply Offensive'
The president should instead
focus on reconciling with his disappointed supporters. This new course would
gain credibility if Obama were to hold responsible, all former officials of the
Bush Administration who ordered questionable interrogation methods - and if he
were to personally give the investigation into allegations of torture top
priority instead of hiding behind his attorney general.
CLICK HERE FOR GERMAN VERSION
[Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US August 30, 1:35pm]
