Spain Launches Criminal Investigation Into US Torture at Gitmo

Amy, thanks for reading, commenting, and for the recommendation. I think it an interesting development too, and I am glad that Spain is not listening to the rhetoric. 

Spain has courage, I am not sure though that this wont be suppressed and end up leading no where. It is a slap in the face for Obama and usually the US do not take does to well, even if they deserve them at times.

Good news.  It was the Spanish that eventually caught up with Pinochet. 

They have no jurisdiction and this will all go nowhere.

This concept of universal jurisdiction is the ultimate folly of Europeans who, having failed at world conquest with the loss of their exploited colonies, and having been so deluded as to succumb to the twin evils of fascism and communism, now take it upon themselves to declare themselves in charge of judging the world.

Note that the Europeans don't indict criminals such as Robert Mugabe, the tyrant of Zimbabwe, just people they know they can arrest as they pass through Europe, people who don't have politically correct protectors. Mugabe and Castro should be indicted and prosecuted for torture and other crimes, given the criterion used by these politicized Spanish judges.

Pinochet was going to be tried in Chile before he died. The Chileans had jurisdiction.

We already have a court in DeHague.  If it is to be taken offshore that is where it should be handled. 

How does this look to have the former President and his Vice arrested for torture. I admit that it was wrong no doubt. However, come on, this will not happen here in the U.S. Let's be real here.  Come on.... Not going to happen.....The President and His Vice arrested and going to jail.... Yeah right! Never will happen.

Cee Cee - You.re right. 

It is a known fact that former presidents  of the US have a certain immunity against an attempt to put them on trial for some administration policy. If this takes place every administration will be so cautious to act in the interests of the country that nothing risky will ever be undertaken in the interest of the people.

The Hague and other self-proclaimed parties for "justice" will go no where. You may hate Bush, and I was no supporter,  but don't let these feelings blind you to the opening of Pandora's box. 

It will come back to bite everyone in places you never suspected. You don't like the policies of the administration then vote them out. That is how it works in America and well in my opinion.

Anyone can find many actions taken in hindsight that could be used for prosecution. American Presidents often take undisclosed risks in the name of the best interests of the country. Sometimes they are poor decisions. That's how life works. We hope they will all be wise ones but any reasonable person knows that this will not always be the case.

Tikun, there is a vindictive streak in modern liberals that didn't exist in JFK and people such as Hubert Humphrey.

It is amazing to me that people so critical of the excesses of the zealots of orthodox Christianity can continue to embody this need for hangman's justice with the same zealotry and degree of prejudice.

The problem with the whole issue is, that it is split along party lines.  Those that call it torture and those that call it enhanced interrogation.   Personally I think the damage was done as soon as those torture memos were released to America and the world.  Later on this month more pictures will be released.  Unfortunately, not all facts and evidence have been put on the table.  My contention is that a pandoras box has been opened, which can.t be closed.  I agree with tikun that the precedent has now been set to to slander previous administrations.