Tuesday, April 7, 2009

ICRC Report

The International Committee of the Red Cross condemns the leaking of their reporting on detention facilities known as Black Sites. It's fair that they condemn the leak because it could very well undermine their ability to gain unfettered access to prison sites in the future. Because these reports were only made for the purpose of issuance to those running the prisons, and were not for public consumption, this leak could undermine that.

It can be surmised that the individual who leaked the report may well have done so weighing the cost benefit analysis of which was potentially more damaging in the future: ICRC access, or the fact that the ICRC's access is meaningless when torturers can escape accountability.

Take for example that the Obama administration has not merely ignored attempts by citizen groups to hold the Bush administration accountable for torture, the Obama administration has also been very pro-active at defending Bush, Cheney, and their cronies. Never mind that Obama ran on the promise of accountability.

If someone with access to evidence that the US did actively and willingly engage in human rights abuses and torture sees "the leader of the free world" actively and willingly engage in efforts to block investigations of alleged war crimes, that person can hardly be blamed for coming forward with their evidence of crimes.

At this point, a line in the sand has been drawn. Obama has only two options: Choose to accept this evidence and begin DOJ investigations into these allegations of war crimes, or b) Obama can choose to suppress this evidence and refuse to pursue any charges against KNOWN war criminals.

To date, Obama has displayed a propensity in this regard to do the exact opposite of the right thing. But the evidence available in the public domain, indeed via this site, is damning. If Obama chooses "a", he will be at the very list keeping his word.

But I've pretty much lost hope in Obama.

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