Andrew Sullivan: Bush Administration Officials Will Be 'Indicted For War Crimes'

Media coverage of the disclosure of the "torture memo" authored by Bush Justice Department official John C. Yoo has been mostly a deafening silence. But on this morning's Chris Matthews' show, someone finally fired a shot. As we mentioned in this morning's liveblog, credit goes to The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan, for taking the opportunity to ensure that this matter got out into the televised discourse somehow.

SULLIVAN: The latest revelations on the torture front show the memo from John Yoo...means that Don Rumsfeld, David Addington and John Yoo should not leave the United States any time soon. They will be, at some point, indicted for war crimes.

[WATCH.]

The moment came during a segment on Matthews' show where the panel is invited to "tell him something he doesn't know," though this might be more accurately termed, "something he doesn't know he should talk about." Matthews is hardly alone. Via Sullivan, we are directed to the blog of Glenn Greenwald:

Here are the number of times, according to NEXIS, that various topics have been mentioned in the media over the past thirty days:

"Yoo and torture" - 102

"Mukasey and 9/11" -- 73

"Yoo and Fourth Amendment" -- 16

"Obama and bowling" -- 1,043

Story continues below

"Obama and Wright" -- More than 3,000 (too many to be counted)

"Obama and patriotism" - 1,607

"Clinton and Lewinsky" -- 1,079

I'd also like to quote Greenwald at length here:

Every day, it becomes more difficult to blame George Bush, Dick Cheney and comrades for their seven years (and counting) of crimes, corruption and destruction of our political values. Think about it this way: if you were a high government official and watched as -- all in a couple of weeks time -- it is revealed, right out in the open, that you suspended the Fourth Amendment, authorized torture, proclaimed yourself empowered to break the law, and sent the nation's top law enforcement officer to lie blatantly about how and why the 9/11 attacks happened so that you could acquire still more unchecked spying power and get rid of lawsuits that would expose what you did, and the political press in this country basically ignored all of that and blathered on about Obama's bowling score and how he eats chocolate, wouldn't you also conclude that you could do anything you want, without limits, and know there will be no consequences? What would be the incentive to stop doing all of that?

He couldn't be more right, I'm afraid.

Comments

[luckyt]

Our Government has been involved in far worse atrocities throughout history and never has its leaders been held accountable, or been convicted of any crimes.

[PL50]

Really??? Like what?

[tundramonkey]

Repeated invasions and support for death squad governments in Guatemala, El Salvador, Cuba, Panama, Nicaragua, and Honduras, as well as Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Argentina, beginning in the 19th century and continuing to the present day. The Spanish American war with particular emphasis on the campaign in the Phillippines, wherein millions were slaughtered, raped tortured and murdered to the extent that torture was first prosecuted by the US Army. Bodies were stacked like cordwood and blood filled rivers and bays, ultimately to be burned like cordwood.
Kissinger's approval of genocide in Indonesia, as well as continuing the misbegotten Vietnam war. Kermit Roosevelt's efforts for the CIA in Iran, Iraq, and other middle eastern countries resulting in the current suite of genocide, military occupation, torture, rape, and murder. Iran Contra, the October Surprise, and other delightful activities of the Reagan Administration creating a triangle trade between drug dealers, right wing extremists, and Middle Eastern groups tied to terrorism. US support for terrorism in Europe during the Cold War including the fascist cults in Italy tied to the Catholic Church and the government, and terrorists working for Cuban and other exiles and governments including Operation Condor, resulting in a car bombing in Washington DC.
this is just off the top of my head. Need more?

[funky1]

Read 'Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire' by Chalmers Johnson....

[Neoconstant]

Native American genocide, invasions, coups, & support for dicators in Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Phillipines, Hawaii, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Columbia, Bolivia, Argentina, Iran, Indonesia, Grenada, Vietnam, Iraq, Iraq again, Kuwait, Afghanistan, etc. Learn a little history! Bush & co aren't going to jail - they're going to retire!

[marymansour]

I believe Andrew Sullivan and one who agrees with him - Sean Penn - are absolutely correct. George Bush and Dick Cheney should be sent to the Hague in chains for crimes against humanity. Frankly, in my opinion, they make Adolph Hitler look square.

[rage]

Yeah. That's why I buy butterfingers, because Bart Simpson told me it's good. What a groupie. Sean Penn.....sheesh. I don't make any political moves until Jeff Spicoli tells me what to think. Who should I vote for I Am Sam I am. OMG.

[oneeyedodin]

Many people in the media must be tried as accomplices to war crimes.
Read the Constitution of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal the writing of which Americans took a leading role.

[americansheep]

Hey, it's the sheep here. We are all complicitly guilty. We all sat back and watched it happend beginning with the BIG OBVIOUS LIES leading up to this fiasco. Live in sleep counting sheep. Not one decent protest. Sad what we've become.

[dwit]

Hey sheep! Lemming here. How are you? Great sermon last Sunday, huh? Never thought we'd be members of the "apocalypse generation". Wow! My folks are so proud. Couldn't have done it without you mom and dad! All of your hard work on foregoing an education and copulating with your siblings made it all possible. See you at the weenie roast!

[rage]

Would you guys please stop! No one is going to be indicted so stop fantasizing. Geez, go do something constructive already. That Bush...what a great leader. No pu**ies here. Big dog!

[research]

NO.

We wont stop.

Impeach!

[rixhex56]

I think the implication was that they would be indicted outside the U.S.

[rage]

Kinda like investing in those coins that are legal tender in Maylaysia. Heh.

[maggiemae656]

The only reason I can figure that nothing is being done about Bush & Co. is that there are too many co-conspirators. If one goes, they all have to go. Why isn't anything being done???? We can't wait until Bush is gone.

[rage]

I like Bush. Real cowboy. Real American. No more flower power!

[s1what]

You left out Real Dumb.

[karaplanet]

Real cowboy? Not hardly. His 'ranch' was hastily built before his 2000 installment, the cattle are borrowed, and he is afraid of horses. He ain't no cowboy...

Horses had his number before you did. Says a lot about horse sense.....

[b2008]

...and no more sense than a six-grader!

[dwit]

oh, and real douche bag

[quest44]

You have that right Maggiemay !
Almost all of Congress and the Senate every SOB who voted to give Bush the power to do whatever he wanted .
Some of us have tried all we could to change the system but we have been bucking people who have moocho money to silence media and anyone else they want .Thank god someone had the kahonas to speak out publicly about making them accountability for their acts of treason and war crimes.

[elpollo]

I have a graduate degree in physical chemistry. I have studied the physics of the collapse of the three WTC buildings over considerable time and in great detail, and concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that the collision of the planes did not cause it, but rather was simply a diversion. (Of course a plane never even hit WTC7 - it collapsed from exhaustion). These buildings were dropped by carefully implanted thermite explosives on their supporting beams that were electronically detonated in a carefully orchestrated sequence over a few seconds. The huge buildings were instantaneously pulverized into fine dust and dropped on their own footprints. We have good videotapes on the internet where we can actually witness this process. There are not eight companies in the world with the skill to do this. I am not going even to start with all the other weird stuff like calling off the Air Force interceptors.

Cheney and company pulled this off because:
1) they knew they would get away with it
2) they are sociopathic killers
3) they could never accomplish their political and economic objectives without it. They wrote as much in PNAC in the 90's where they described the "necessary" future event as "another Pearl Harbor."

Americans are too self-centered and arrogant to indict these miscreants of capital crimes against other peoples, but they would in a heartbeat if the truth about 9/11 ever came out. But I am no spring chicken and am not holding my breath.

[maggiemae656]

Elpollo, Americans may be self-centered and arrogant, but it's my belief that they are afraid of the truth. This country is in denial and we are losing our spirit because we are being beat down. I would like to see this change, and think that exposing and taking down a few would get the ball rolling...

[b2008]

But someone has got to throw the first ball. I hope that's Obama.

[DFDoerr]

Of course, that means your insane.

[elpollo]

A faith based reply.

[b2008]

Who's insane?

[b2008]

Americans can only do what the powers that be allow them to do. There have been suits brought against Bush/Cheney that have rebounded because everybody with the power is owned by Bush/Cheney. Do you expect that they will sue themselves? I know that's hard to realize, but it's true. Until they get out of office and a competent president gets in with his own crew, they will never be touched. The entire government needs to be fired and good people hired to do the job for the people instead of against the people. The "WE THE PEOPLE" legal group and many others are kept on hold or have been rejected from going further because of the Bush/Cheney comrades in charge. What do you suggest to get around this situation?

[elpollo]

I have a graduate degree in physical chemistry. I have studied the physics of the collapse of the three WTC buildings over considerable time and in great detail, and concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that the collision of the planes did not cause it, but rather was simply a diversion. (Of course a plane never even hit WTC7 - it collapsed from exhaustion). These buildings were dropped

[rage]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I love it. Hello professor.Graduate degree in physical chemistry. woohoo! what a riot!!!!

[JRR]

He has a degree in physical jackassery....hahaha....freaking poser....and these clowns eat it up...

[Melodyl]

Physical what? I have a degree in Architectural Engineering, as well an MBA,
"physical chemistry" hummm.

That aside, please tell me more about your studies. What did you do to arrive at your conclusions? Did you sample the "Framing Metals" and determine a melting point? A tensile/ tear point? at High temperatures?

[b2008]

Exhaustion? Are you saying the building collapsed from being tired?

[funky1]

Anyone that still thinks 9/11 went down the way they say it did are in total denial.... yes, those buildings were dropped.... nice inside job.... lots of money made, lots of patriotism invoked, lots of rules and laws evoked or twisted for more gain..... Remember the Maine! Pearl Harbor, Gulf of Tonkin.... and don't forget the ones that didn't get used like Operation Northwoods...

[BlueStateMan]

You ACTUALLY believe that the BUSH Administration was behind this?

The SAME Bush Administration that is responsible for Iraq...., Katrina...., Afghanistan...., the economy?

Hell, if they WERE behind 9/11, the twin towers would STILL be standing.

[rage]

yeah. This is all coming from the same ppl who say that Bush is too stupid to be president.

[calibpatriot]

I would be delighted if Rumsfeld, Addington and Yoo were indicted and convicted for war crimes but this would not go far enough. Bush and Cheney should NOT be left off the hook; the buck stops in the White House! Neither should all of the other neo-fascists responsible for the immoral Iraq war and for the shredding of our constitution.

I don't believe that this will happen in this country but, if not, this could end up in the International Court of Justice.

[toolman1]

it never fails to amaze me the total lack of intelligence that is shown here. then again, when you have a confirmed nut case like ms. huffnpuff, I guess the rest of you whackos will follow in line. listen up....there will be NO charges brought up again bush, cheney or any of them. no lawyer in there right mind would even try. there isn't ANY kind of evidence that could be used to do so with. all of you nut cases that think something has been done wrong....your dreaming. and you had better wake up soon....your being lied to by the very ones you think are so pure of heart. clinton...obama....kennedy....need I go on??? I have never seen such a collection of liers and hatemongers as there is in the liberal party. (not democrat....LIBERAL!!!) I would not vote for or even listen to anything any one of them would say.....you can bet it's a lie and a half!! and they prove my point on a daily basis.....just read about it in the paper!!! a lying bunch of so called "americans" that would cut your throat in a heartbeat if it would make them a buck or get them power points. we should remove every one of them from office, send them home with NO benefits or retirement.....and start over. maybe this time we could get people who would actually be of the people, by the people and for the people. ??

[Tulka2]

This is a meme i have been putting out for years. Think how we would immediatly get our world-wide, American street cred back. We are America! We were boarded by a religious cult, idealoges, pirates, truth be told. When we put top Bush administration officials under arrest and send them to the World Court, the world-wide healing begins. BECAUSE: No human is responsible for the sins of their ancestors, but that means every single human being must be held completely accountable for their own actions. No justice, no peace. It's not a slogan, it's a fact.

[research]

End Americas' Goddamn War Crimes Now!

Impeach!

[earnesttruthseeker]

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing..."
--Edmund Burke

[rage]

Good men did do something. We rescued the Iraqis from Saddam. The nothing Burke spoke of was the nothing human rights advocates did while it was all going on. Now, they protest to hide that fact. Too little, too late.

[jimmshorts]

Hum, all the blogger responses are entrenched in cynical inertia and pre-defeated and so y'all are knocking down Andrew Sullivan. What, should I join the spirit - as in - if you can't beat 'em then join 'em? What, with Kucinich's being silenced by the Supreme Court for his impeachment fight; with all the outsourced and unchallenged government contracts; with all the deaths why not ease up and kill the messenger. Ease up folks and celebrate by appaulding virtue and then re-connect with your own virtue if you have any left. If the nay-sayers are not going to take any action then go with it when someone's on their toes and let it penetrate the denial of your darkened and dreery hearts. Yes, denial you are powerless... Are you? If so, then woof down another burger and call it a day.

http://www.impeachbush.org/

[TommyMcCarthy]

It's amazing Sullivan continues to get all the play he does.

Not only does he KNOW nothing............

He doesn't even SUSPECT anything..........................tm

[TheHandyman]

But he's still doing better than you, ne's pas?

[tandrmcdonald]

Bush officials will be indicted. Huh, imagine that. Did you mean indicted as in Scooter Libby indictments? I notice there wasn't a whole lot about when. I'll tell you exactly when the Bush officials will be indicted, when the devil buys ice skates.
We can dream but it just ain't gonna happen.
Gramma Rose

[b2008]

From gramma to gramma, I got the money if you can get the devil :) 'cause I want him to buy ice skates like yesterday. He is ready to go where he belongs, together with his cronies, bush, cheney, hillary, bill, and the entire government.