General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Obama is BOUND BY LAW to prosecute torture. [View all]branford
(4,462 posts)Obama is the duly elected president and he using the broad authority and discretion invested in him by the Constitution. The simple truth is that Obama is protecting himself, his allies, and his legacy by not charging anyone in the prior administration, just as the next administration will not charge anyone in the Obama administration, regardless of whether the next president is Republican or Democrat.
More importantly, as repeated polls clearly indicate, the clear majority of Americans simply do not care whether we tortured anyone, and a sizable number even support the practice.
I appreciate that you find torture abhorrent, and I actually agree, but due to a myriad of legal, political and practical reasons there will not be any domestic or foreign prosecutions of American officials for torture-related war crimes for the foreseeable future. When it comes to this issue, for good or ill, you're just tilting at windmills.