Obama On Spanish Torture Investigation: I Prefer To Look Forward

Asked for the first time to respond to the likelihood that Spanish prosecutors will target officials in the Bush administration for sanctioning torture at Guantanamo Bay, Barack Obama stressed, once again, that he prefers to look forward, not backward.

In an interview with CNN En Español that aired on Wednesday, the president noted that his administration had ordered the closure of Guantanamo and put an end to policies of
enhanced interrogation that "ran counter to American values." But he wouldn't wade into the debate over a lawsuit filed by six Spaniards who allege they were tortured at the detention center. A Spanish court is threatening to investigate former Bush officials, including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, for their complicity in torture.

"I'm a strong believer that it's important to look forward and not backwards, and to remind ourselves that we do have very real security threats out there," said Obama. "So I have not had direct conversations with the Spanish government about these issues. My team has been in communications with them. I think that we are moving a process forward here in the United States to understand what happened, but also to focus on how we make sure that the manner in which we operate currently is consistent with our values and our traditions. And so my sense is, is that this will be worked out over time."

The non-committal response is consistent with the president's stance on domestic efforts to launch an investigation into the possible illegalities of the Bush years. The White House still has not taken a position on Sen. Patrick Leahy's proposed truth and reconciliation commission for such a task. But it does represent a bit more clarity than what was offered this past week at the White House press briefing, when Press Secretary Robert Gibbs -- at one point -- joked away questions about where the administration stood on the potential indictments.

UPDATE: The issue, as it pertains to the Spanish courts, may be moot. The country's attorney general said on Thursday that he is declining to open an investigation the six Bush administration officials, arguing that such a case should be handled in a U.S. courtroom. On a macro-level, of course, Obama's answer to the question is still news, in that it underscores his hesitancy to see these investigations conducted -- domestically and abroad.

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Comments

[skialethia]

108 detainees "dyed" while under U.S. detention. Of those, 27 are believed to have "dyed" as a result of t0rture, hence this is why they had medical staff there to try and revive them, so they wouldn't "dye" and so they could t0rture them repeatedly.

So then, Bush/"Chainee" and company lied that they ordered t0rture, because everyone knows that water-boarding is a t0rture technique used by the Viet Cong; and they are responsible for those myrrders! And Obama thinks this shouldn't be prosecuted???

(Words misspelled purposely)

[SPZig]

Obama is showing his true face. I voted for him happily because he promised change, transparency, and accountability. None of the above are happening. This is not to say that McCain would have done a better job (I believe we would be a crater right now if he won) but I am certainly disappointed. Where is the transparency? Where are the consequences for BREAKING THE LAW? Looking to the future is great and everything, but I'd say pulling the pitbull off your a** takes priority.

Until this is cleared up, America is blighted.

[Jelperman]

I guess the next time the Republicans take over the White House, we'll have human sacrifice and cannibalism. Why not? Torture and murder are no longer punishable. What's left?

[Richterscale]

President Obama,

It's not about what you prefer. It's about what the law dictates.

You took an oath. Live up to it.

[PatrickW]

Oh Yeah !!!

[skialethia]

Well-stated.

[Insideman]

I wish Kucinich was president :)

[SPZig]

Seconded. He is the most respectable and principled Democrat in congress.

[skialethia]

Totally agree.

[nickmantas]

Obama prefers to look forward. That's a crock of crap if have ever heard one. I am sure someone on his staff got to the Spaniards to drop the investigation on the Bush-Cheney criminal gang. Keep going like that Obama and you can kiss the rest of your agenda and a second term good buy. I guess after all he is just the other side of the Bush coin! We are SCREWED for good!

[JDM73]

Obama prefers to look forward, yes. He looks forward to more war, more warrantless surveillance, and more billions for Wall Street. One thing you can say for the guy: he wasted very little time in shedding his campaign image and getting down to the business of playing ball the Washington way.

[lennonunitas]

This site does not allow free speech. Not hateful or profane speech but FREE SPEECH!

[PatrickW]

You have that right.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

this exactly the mentality that allows a pe rve rted relative to continue mo les ting the kids because it would embarass the the family to have it get out. Si ck and co war dly.

[JoeSchmuk]

My sentiments exactly: perverted relatives, abusive parents, corporate pirates, corrupt politicians, etc!

Looking forward does not exclude looking back. In fact, you could say looking back is looking forward, as one learns from the mistakes and moves on to better practices, rather than repeating old mistakes over and over in an endless, mindless, self serving loop.

If all one learns from the past is that one only needs to to get away with something until it's forgotten, then that is what people will do. End the madness, address the issues, cull the chaff, move on.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

quite a country you would have have if the Justice Dept adopted O's philosophy of only looking forward. Blanket amnesty for everyone.

[imusintheevening]

Obama is right,

I mean it so yesterday to prosecute people for their crimes.

We should just all accept that we had a Presidential Administration that ignored the very Constitution they took an oath to protect and broke existing laws and lied to the American people and wasted several trillion dollars and is responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 innocent people of a Sovereign nation that did not pose a real threat to us.

We can look forward with the HOPE that it won't happen again and that punishment does not deter crime.

[PatrickW]

He won't get my vote next time.

[jdw1981]

Obama's only looking as far ahead as when his Presidency ends. The problem with avoiding this issue now is that one day we will probably have another tyrant President like Bush, or worse, who won't think twice about imprisoning and torturing American citizens.

People might recall Keith Olbermann's reports from a couple months ago detailing how, during Bush's presidency, we were basically living under a Dictatorship without knowing it. We know Obama won't torture, but unless Obama upholds the Constitution and the Geneva Convention, it's almost a certainty that in the future we WILL have a President who won't hesitate to commit atrocities.

[raaf]

Looking forward is also trying to make sure that this doesn't happen again in the future, one way to do that is to hold people accountable, so that other people with similar ideas know that they can't get away with it.

Actions ought to have consequences, Mr Obama.

[SotallyTober]

One can not move forward without taking a look backwards when there might possibly be illegal acts committed by the previous administration. This latest turn of events speaks volumes about both administrations. This was a former United States president and his administration, who with no doubt in my mind, committed more illegal acts since Nixon. To turn a blind eye is very disheartening and sends a message that the current administration won't prosecute any other illegal acts made in the future.

[WorkingClass]

Obama is a dud. I'm glad I didn't vote for him. I just couldn't go out and vote for Ralph Nader AGAIN. So I stayed home. Let it burn. Thats my credo now. Only when the current system is in ashes will there be any possibility for reform.

[DaneAZ]

Sadly, I agree with you.
It always seems that here in the Us, we never really change anything until it completely falls apart.
Remember when the commissioner of baseball banned the Chicago "black sox" from baseball for life? Baseball stayed clean all the way up to steroids.
I think people just don't really like change.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

yep, the political and moral gangrene has overtaken the patient. O is just spraying air freshener to cover over the stench.