'YES ICON! (ALTHOUGH
ON REFLECTION, NO WE CAN'T …)'
[Guardian Unlimited, U.K.]
Le Figaro, France
Obama's Moral Crusade:
A Few Words of Caution
"If
Barack Obama's propensity to repent for his sins - or rather those of his
country - go down well overseas, these repeated acts of humility are beginning
to seriously irritate conservative circles in the U.S. … Righting the wrongs of
the past is a noble enterprise, but Barack Obama will have to take care not to
jump from one extreme to the other."
EDITORIAL by Pierre Rousselin
Translated By Sandrine Ageorges
April 19, 2009
France - Le Figaro - Original Article (French)
To torture suspected
terrorists in the special prison at Guantanamo will remain as a mark of infamy
on the administration of George W. Bush.
By making public secret
documents on forceful interrogations by the CIA, Barack Obama doesn't actually reveal
anything new. Every one of the practices described was already known. Only the
fact that they were carried out in response to meticulous and detailed written
instructions might surprise - as well as the candor of those responsible for a
policy that today is being nailed to the pillory.
The existence of these
administrative notes helps clears the underlings, who were only following the
orders of their superiors. In short, torture is condemned, but no one will be prosecuted
for having practiced it.
The will of Barack Obama
is clear.
This is a question of breaking
with an embarrassing past, and to close what Obama calls "a dark and
painful chapter in our history," while at the same time, attempting not to
alienate the intelligence community.
The exercise
isn't easy, but it's necessary, given the damage to the credibility of the
United States which was triggered by the images of sadistic jailers walking with
their prisoners at the end of a leash through the hallways of the corridors of the Abu Ghraib prison in
Baghdad.
How can one defend human
rights in countries not exactly in a hurry to enforce the principles of our
democracies, after such a spectacle which was seen around the world?
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
After George W. Bush's
crusade against terrorism, which was used to justify so many excesses, Barack
Obama embarked on a moral crusade to wash the United States of its sins. The
closing of Guantanamo, the repudiation of torture and the promise of
transparency are its founding principles.
Regaining the sympathy of
the world is a laudable goal and Obama is working toward it to the fullest. But
this puts him in the crossfire of criticism.
Conservatives and officials
of the former administration accuse him of lifting the secrecy surrounding CIA activities,
thereby undermining American espionage.
In contrast, defenders of
human rights stand against the impunity granted the former torturers.
The path between these two
reefs is a narrow one - and the argument between the two camps is only just
beginning.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Now the dikes protecting torture
have given way, it isn’t clear that the White House will be able to contain the
moans over these abuses - which will undoubtedly multiply.
On the other hand, if
Barack Obama's propensity to repent for his sins - or rather those of his
country - go down well overseas, these repeated acts of humility are beginning
to seriously irritate conservative circles in the United States.
Righting the wrongs of the
past is a noble enterprise, but Barack Obama will have to take care not to jump
from one extreme to the other.
CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH VERSION
[Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US April 19, 5:29pm]
