Bush Admin. Officials to be Prosecuted for Torture?

European Nations May Investigate Bush Officials Over Prisoner Treatment Washington Post — European prosecutors are likely to investigate CIA and Bush administration officials on suspicion of violating an international ban on torture if they are not held legally accountable at home, according to U.N. officials and human rights lawyers. Many European officials and civil liberties groups said they were disappointed by President Obama's opposition to trials of CIA interrogators who subjected terrorism suspects to waterboarding and other harsh tactics. They said the release last week of secret U.S. Justice Department memos authorizing the techniques will make it easier for foreign prosecutors to open probes if U.S. officials do not. click to read complete article

Obama's Growing Dilemma on Torture Prosecution Time Magazine — Less than a day after President Barack Obama told CIA employees in person that he didn't support prosecuting them for harsh interrogations of terror suspects, he left open the possibility that those who drafted the legal opinions justifying such questionable techniques could end up facing charges. The surprising statement marked just the latest step in Obama's evolving view of the Bush Administration's handling of terrorism cases; and it underscored the fine line he is navigating in his stated commitments to uphold the rule of law and at the same time move beyond the divisive Bush years. click to read complete article

Senate Democrats Praise Obama for Possible Prosecution of Bush Officials Fox News — Senate Democrats praised President Obama for leaving the door open on Tuesday to prosecutions of former Bush administration officials who crafted or implemented harsh interrogation tactics, which some have called torture. Many of those Democrats were angered when White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said Sunday the administration had ruled out such prosecutions. click to read complete article