WikiLeaks: How U.S. tried to stop Spain's torture probe

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy

WikiLeaks: How U.S. tried to stop Spain's torture probe
By Carol Rosenberg | Miami Herald

MIAMI — It was three months into Barack Obama's presidency, and the administration -- under pressure to do something about alleged abuses in Bush-era interrogation policies -- turned to a Florida senator to deliver a sensitive message to Spain:

Don't indict former President George W. Bush's legal brain trust for alleged torture in the treatment of war on terror detainees, warned Mel Martinez on one of his frequent trips to Madrid. Doing so would chill U.S.-Spanish relations.

Rather than a resolution, though, a senior Spanish diplomat gave the former GOP chairman and housing secretary a lesson in Spain's separation of powers. "The independence of the judiciary and the process must be respected,'' then-acting Foreign Minister Angel Lossada replied on April 15, 2009. Then for emphasis, "Lossada reiterated to Martinez that the executive branch of government could not close any judicial investigation and urged that this case not affect the overall relationship.''

The case is still open, on the desk of a Spanish magistrate, awaiting a reply from the Obama administration on whether it will pursue a probe of its own.





Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/12/25/105786/wikileaks-how-us-tried-to-stop.html#ixzz198vQ6IDJ

[DCKit]

1. Checks, balances and a separation of powers? Oh, those wacky Spaniards.

Who would have ever imagined such a thing?

[treestar]

2. Why Spain, and why do they have jurisdiction?

"Of particular concern was that a swashbuckling Spanish magistrate, Baltasar Garzón, might get the probe under Spain's system, which gave judges extraordinary investigative powers."

Now that's an interesting "separation of powers." The judge can do some investigating? That would seem to compromise his neutrality.

[Downwinder]

3. Spanish citizens were involved.

[TheKentuckian]

4. When violate human rights, humanity has standing.

[JDPriestly]

5. It is very important to read the whole article at McClatchy

There is a lot of very interesting detail in it.

Thanks for posting this. It clarifies a lot.

Obama needs to act now. In my opinion, if Obama does not act to indict the torturers and do it very, very soon, he will find himself wasting two years with his staff facing one investigation by the House after another for absolutely nothing.

There are times when a just and strong offense is the only way to prevent an absurd, time-wasting need for defense. Obama really missed it on this one. Letting Bush, etc. off the hook on the torture matter is the biggest mistake of his presidency -- bar none.

[Solly Mack]

6. k/r

took long enough

[No Elephants]

7. Let's hear it for looking only forward!

[mdmc]

8. ..