<![CDATA[Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program.]]>Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program.

That kind of impunity can seem expedient, but it’s morally offensive and bad for democracy.

If Dems should find their way back to power (?), the criminality of Trump and Co. will need to be prosecuted. Political (democratic) legitimacy demands it.

One possibility is outsourcing. Hand perps over to the international courts and let them mete out justice.

ICC, if you’re listening…

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/29cbff75-ffde-4dfc-b112-222104816753/obama-made-a-decision-to-look-forward-rather-than-prosecute-the-architects-of-the-gwb-torture-program.RSS for NodeSat, 18 Apr 2026 19:54:24 GMTMon, 06 Apr 2026 16:42:13 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:21:58 GMT]]>@xankarn or as Daffy duck would say “consequences shmonsequences as long as I’m rich“

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364339996692540https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364339996692540Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:21:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:10:56 GMT]]>@xankarn
With those people, I think the only thing that’s gonna make a dent in their ideology is taking away their money if they can profit off it they’re gonna do it they don’t care

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364296630558841https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364296630558841Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:10:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:10:04 GMT]]>@MsMerope

Whatever we believe or fear privately, doesn’t responsible leadership require this kind of rhetoric?

If we concede the possibility of subversion, it starts to invite anticipatory obedience, no?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116364293237194427https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116364293237194427Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:10:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:01:21 GMT]]>@xankarn
“The next administration”
Somebody’s an optimist

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364258942161456https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/MsMerope/statuses/116364258942161456Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:01:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:48:51 GMT]]>Congressman Lieu saying what needs to be said. Laws exist, not on paper, but in their application.

Covenants without the sword, Hobbes wrote in the 17th C, are but words.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116364209774251861https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116364209774251861Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:48:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:02:44 GMT]]>@karlauerbach @xankarn

There is a second problem, which is hard to say out loud. The US is kind of acting in tandem with Israel. Many politicians on both sides are funded by AIPAC. (1) ICC indicting Israel for war crimes, whether warranted (no pun intended) or not, is bad optics given the whole Holocaust thing. (2) not enough stones for the US to ratify the treaty knowing how many war crimes we’ve committed in the last 25 years plus the ongoing set with Israel.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/amyshark/statuses/116360725420967379https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.scot/users/amyshark/statuses/116360725420967379Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:02:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:59:13 GMT]]>@xankarn
Nuremberg the feckin' lot of them.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tilde.zone/users/n1xnx/statuses/116360239724276279https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tilde.zone/users/n1xnx/statuses/116360239724276279Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:59:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:31:30 GMT]]>@xankarn Pretty much the same playbook we have used to sweep our horrific actions under the rug for the past 250 years.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/Lightfighter/statuses/116360130764010873https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/Lightfighter/statuses/116360130764010873Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:31:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:28:33 GMT]]>In any case, here's former ambassador David Sheffer (who negotiated the Rome Statute on behalf of the US--unsuccessfully) explaining in 2023 why he thinks the US should ratify. Clinton tried (w/ Scheffer in the lead). Obama and Biden did not.

https://lieber.westpoint.edu/united-states-should-ratify-rome-statute/

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358939507797233https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358939507797233Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:28:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:23:44 GMT]]>@xankarn @karlauerbach

I'd love to see it.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/d_a_n_a/statuses/116358920556043639https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/d_a_n_a/statuses/116358920556043639Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:23:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:23:38 GMT]]>@d_a_n_a @xankarn Yes, the US could recognize the ICC. Indeed, I believe that there was a treaty or similar international document that was proposed but that the US rejected.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/karlauerbach/statuses/116358920168976313https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/karlauerbach/statuses/116358920168976313Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:23:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:22:55 GMT]]>@d_a_n_a @karlauerbach

Ratification of Rome Statute would require 2/3 of Senate. We're not close to that at present. But I wonder what could happen if MAGA were deposed? Surely there are some GOP who would feel liberated to take the vote on its merits?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358917383822321https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358917383822321Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:22:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:18:35 GMT]]>@karlauerbach

Understood. There are many reasons why this scenario is unlikely, but I'm wondering whether things might change if there were indictments handed down?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358900338269198https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.online/users/xankarn/statuses/116358900338269198Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:18:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:18:13 GMT]]>@karlauerbach @xankarn

But the US could submit to the ICC's jurisdiction, yes?

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/d_a_n_a/statuses/116358898874138834https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mstdn.social/users/d_a_n_a/statuses/116358898874138834Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:18:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:10:12 GMT]]>@xankarn There is a problem: which is that the US does not recognize the ICC.

I agree that the entire world has a case against trump and his gang, much as the world had a case against the Nazis and Japanese militarists after WW-II.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/karlauerbach/statuses/116358867369014692https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://sfba.social/users/karlauerbach/statuses/116358867369014692Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:10:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Obama made a decision to “look forward” rather than prosecute the architects of the GWB torture program. on Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:02:45 GMT]]>That would certainly be a real sign of adherence to international law.

@xankarn

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ecoevo.social/users/clew/statuses/116358838028910198https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ecoevo.social/users/clew/statuses/116358838028910198Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:02:45 GMT