Torture: Leadership Requires Accountability, All the Way to the Top
We learned this week that the CIA destroyed tapes of American officials committing torture. The American people deserve to know whether laws were violated and whether the President was directly involved in illegal activities. Torture is a black and white moral issue. A failure to act decisively in this case will be an unacceptable failure of leadership.
Torture is un-American, it violates international law, and it is wrong. And when I am President, I will make sure that those who are responsible for torture are held accountable for their actions.
When I have secured the release of people held in captivity overseas, I have seen the fear in the eyes of captured men and women, and I have spoken with their scared families. To them, the Geneva Convention is not "quaint" or outdated; it is the bedrock institution guaranteeing that no one -- no matter how powerful -- is above the law.
And yet, in the thirteen months since winning back the House and Senate, Democrats in Congress have done too little to force this administration to stop torturing.
Perhaps one reason that Bush and Cheney have been so comfortable with torture is that they feel they will never be held accountable for their actions.
Indeed, despite consistently stating that they can't accomplish anything because they lack a filibuster-proof majority, Senate Democrats failed even to block an Attorney General who equivocated on torture.
They have taken no action on the International Criminal Court.
They have failed to appoint a Special Prosecutor to provide for high-level accountability.
They failed to restore habeas corpus.
They have done nothing to enforce the Constitution or any of our laws against torture.
This must change. If Congress won't act, then our next President must.
The next President must be clearly and unequivocally committed to changing our country's stand on torture, and that is exactly what I pledge to do. Strong leaders are not afraid to be held accountable, nor are they afraid to hold others accountable for acts that we all know are wrong.
As soon I am inaugurated, I will order investigations to find out who is responsible for torture -- those who allowed it, those who sanctioned it, and those who carried it out. We can and will find out who is responsible.
And, once we've completed those investigations -- and if we find cause for prosecution -- I will insist on criminal prosecutions of anyone we find responsible for torture in this current administration. No one will be given a pass. NO ONE is above the law.
John Early, seen in the video below, is a testament to why we must hold people accountable and why we must restore our anti-torture commitment. John was captured in Sudan in 1996 - a dangerous time in a dangerous place. I went to Sudan to help bring John home.
UPDATE: Due to a question of image rights, the video is currently not available for viewing.
When you see this video, you understand the terror that John and his family felt when he was a prisoner. This has real-world implications that affect us all.
As you read this, hundreds of thousands of American men and women are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every day that they stay, they remain in harm's way in a hostile land. And every day that we don't hold people accountable for allowing torture in our name, we place them in ever greater danger. For if we no longer abide by international law, how can we expect or demand that someone else follow it?
America's reputation, liberties, and moral leadership continue to be assaulted by Vice President Cheney and President Bush. If this Congress again fails to get to the bottom of these outrages, I will begin serious investigations as President on January 20th, 2009. We can and must find out who is responsible. If necessary, there will be prosecutions. No one is above the law. No one.
This post is the second in a series on seven by Governor Bill Richardson leading up to the January Caucuses and Primaries. The first post in the series was: Iraq: The Elephant In The Room.
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i want to see this:
"I will insist on criminal prosecutions of anyone we find responsible for torture in this current administration. No one will be given a pass. NO ONE is above the law. "
you have my vote. please get yourself nominated.
Governor Richardson - I wish I could believe you but after watching the Democrats demoralize themselves and their supporters for years - I cannot.
Kos is breaking news that Harry Reid is going to introduce the FISA bill on Monday and that immunity for the telecoms will probably be included, which is beyond disgusting.
The Democratic Party has lost is moral compass and I am no longer giving Democrats courtesy votes with the hope that they might do something decent and respectable.
Time to seriously look at third party candidates.
Gov. Richardson,
I truly believe and support the things you say, but why must we wait until there is a new president to see some action? We were promised that having more Democrats in Congress would bring about change, and though they may have tried, nothing has changed.
There's an old expression, "weight is what broke the wagon". You can easily substitute "weight" for "wait" to understand our frustration. I just hope the wagon doesn't break while we're forced to to wait some more.
Governor Richardson,
Thank you for this eloquent statement. I like and admire you, but I am also frustrated that everyone is making eloquent statements and nobody is doing anything. Senator Biden (who I also like very much) will impeach IF Bush starts World War III, you will do something IF you get elected. Congress will mutter and fume.
I know it's not as easy as people like me may think it is, but how can we do nothing? How can we let Bush and Cheney and Co continue to commit atrocity after atrocity in the name of the USA and her citizens and sit by muttering about how bad they are while not stopping them?
I am devastated for my country and frightened for her and the world as well. We are truly in the hands of madmen and those who might be able to stop them are thinking about politics instead of right and wrong or the greater good.
Governor, thank you for being straightforward and specific. I have told everyone for months you are the most qualified democrat candidate, so much more so than pie-in-the-sky Obama or hosting-st
Bill, you have an excellent resume, the only one I like more is that of longshot Senator Mike Gravel, who put his career and his freedom on the line to stand up for the ideals of America, something none of these current Senator / Presidential Candidates have been willing to do against the Bush Administration. You may be a little too pro-corporate, but as long as you can take a couple steps towards restoring worker's rights and undo some of the damage Bill Clinton and George Bush have done to our middle class economy, you are one of the very few Democrats I would support.
You're absolutely correct Gov! But, as a long-time Democrat I believe it starts at home first. The Democrats sat back as Bush and Company proceeded to dismantle US and International laws all the time doing nothing.
And recently it's been disclosed that Pelosi was privy and condoned the use of torture. Will you now call for her resignation and is she not also guilty of International War Crimes?
Remember accountability goes right to the top!
Nanci Pelosi, Harry Reid - FASCIST CRIMINAL ENABLERS!!!!!
FEINSTEIN sure folded on the AG nominee, "waterboarding is OK" Mukasey.
that, combined with her statements of approval on wire tapping immunity for telcoms, puts her squarely in the republican camp.
what a disapointment she has been
Your DA(My)MAN, Governor!
Governor Richardson:
Thank you for standing up and being counted. You have the most relevant experience. I wish you well in your efforts to restore sanity and constitutional rights. The Americans are a very religious people according to statistics. What they are lacking is a soul and courage. You won't find that in church. If you don't have that to begin with, like the Tin Man in Oz, you must finally see the little man behind the curtain is a frightened coward. One day, the veil will be withdrawn for the Americans who will see behind the veil.
The American people have made the decision long ago that torture is never justified. It's more about the torturers themselves. Bullies are attracted to this field and they just keep getting worse, like a bad cop.
Western Civilization made this moral decision four hundred years ago.
It surprising that secular humanity is put down while religiosity triumphs. Not real Christianity, mine you, but that feel good old time tent revival kind where the Elmer Gantrys and worse twist moral principles to gain political power. No, we are better than that. Thanks you once again for being a real American.
Don't overlook "extraordinary renditions", secret prisons, unaccountable mercenaries, and US military schools that teach torture techniques to Latin American dictatorships and others.
Governments employ torture not to make someone talk, but to make others shut up.
Faith that those in power will never misuse their power for their own ends is seriously misguided.
Haven't you heard? Torture has been legalized by a secret, unwritten presidential executive order not subject to judicial review and so super secret that only the president knows the exact language and even he is not allowed to discuss it due to another secret, unwritten presidential executive order. Ain't democracy great???
I'm will remain in your corner, sir, and so very proud to support your candidacy to be the next President of OUR country, while you continue to place The Constitution, soldiers and citizens above ANYTHING else.
Thank you for your defense of what OUR country always SHOULD be.
~NFJT~
Gov. Richardson,
Since you've announced your bid for presidency, I've supported no one but you. This blog is precisely the reason why. You're the most qualified candidate, and I hope the voters in Iowa and New Hampshire agree.
Richardson '08
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