CNN

Rationalizing is the hallmark of culpability.
Only approved questions are name, rank and serial number for the purpose of notifying the families that their loved one is out of jeopardy.

The executive branch is by definition the Sherif of the Federal Government, it is their sacred responsibility to investigate all activities and turn those investigations over to the Judiciary if the AG finds them actionable.

If Cheney, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz had not been part of Nixon's coverup and Executive Privilege league we could indeed move only forward but now we must first and foremost re-establish that the Rule of Law applies equally to the powerful and weak and all those in the middle.

Rationalizing is the hallmark of culpability.
Only approved questions are name, rank and serial number for the purpose of notifying the families that their loved one is out of jeopardy.

Prosecutions will likely never occur, but this issue is a torn that has caught the attention of Americans (again). Defense budgets are very large, we should expect more return for our investment because I can get the techniques of American military interrogation techniques through a GoogleSearch. NPR has a story "Waterboarding: A Tortured History" and it shows a woodcut of waterboarding in 1556 AD. Again....the return on our investment has left our modern military/defense departments in the Middle Ages. Hey....what do I know, I'm just a tax payer.

When you wont prosecute 12 million illegal immigrants how can you prosecute anyone for anything? This nation is truly in anarchy when you can pick and choose what to prosecute for whether a law has been broke or not.

With people like Jarrett, Holder, Geithner in this administration its easy to see why this country is going down the toilet.

Cheney and his "mob" are war criminals and nothing less!

If the local police department decided to use waterboarding as process to get criminals to confess their crimes, the whole country would be up in arms. Those officials would be tried and thrown in jail! It simply would not be an acceptable measure for getting information from anyone in the real world. And it should not be acceptable for the officials of this country. It is evil. And those who sancition it are evil.

Bill ~ Down on the Bayou April 26th, 2009 10:57 am ET

So, if there is nothing new in the documents why not release all the documents rather than being selective.
As to the choice of prosecuting or not prosecuting, and obama leaving that decision up to attorney general Holder. If Holder wants to keep his job as AG he will prosecute. He doesn't make decisions, he carries out orders.

We just went through 8 years of an administration that tried to control the justice department. The Presidency and the Justice Department are separate branches of government. The decision is and should be Holder's, and it will be based on whether or not he finds grounds to prosecute, NOT on what Obama wants.

I'm so tired of the Republicans thinking we didn't have a right to know about this. Our enemies already knew. There are times when the government released those prisoners so did they really think they didn't know? Publicly broadcasting it when they already know doesn't endanger us in the least. We all knew about it. Now we just have proof of it. The US enemies have never needed proof of anything to use it as a reason to fight against the US.

Once again if you are not in uniform and are a terroist Geneva Convention rights do not apply. Therefore, What law was broken? NONE If you libs are so concerned about being a nation of laws, when are you going to start rounding up all the illegal immigrants in this country? Why is breaking one law any more or less important than another. To release these memos for political gain is criminal but what else would you expect from an administration that doesnt care about national security. This whole thing is politcal postering and does no one any good because no one will ever be prosecuted.

Bill April 26th, 2009 11:33 am ET

So, who says this is torture. A bunch of people that know nothing about it.

Really? So why did the United States of America prosecute Japanase service men in 1947 for doing this exact same thing to some of our people.? Why did a sheriff in Texas get sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1983 for waterboarding prisoners in an attempt to obtain a confession? Why as far back as the Spanish American war were US soldiers court martialed for using waterboarding?

what did she tell michelle obama when she hired her at chicago city hall to be a "BAG LADY?".

this was jarrett's job until she hired michelle to take her place.
this when jarrett introduced michelle to REZKO and hence michelle turned REZKO over to obama.

why didn't michelle renew her law license during this period?

It is obvious by some of the comments that some Americans do not subscribe to the rule of Law. Your outrage over the release of the memos should be direct at the Judge who ruled on the case. The Bush Administration lost in court. The case wasn't brought last week. They appealed and lost again. You are so used to the previous Administration thumbing their noses at laws you are blinded. If any of you ever end up in court will you try the same tactic? " But Your Honor" can't we just move forward? Good Grief. Hypocrites all.

Man, were American are as dumb as a box of rocks ! Did we think that the CIA was going to release to the American People any information of substance. Hello their job is and always has been DISINFORMATION ! ****************************************************************

The animals could smell the fresh paint on the board and noticed the words looked somehow different, but they did not understand why::

"No Animal should torture.....without reason"

"All water-boarding is bad, but some water-boarding is LESS bad than others"

Look, lets torture if we MUST, but we have to drop the pretense that we are any better than Saddam Hussien!

The biggest problem I see is the insistance on calling these techniques torture. Uncomfortable, scary, yes. Torture, no. Still waiting for CNN to do an article on the definition of torture and show how these techniques fall under that definition. Won't happen because they and all the politico's screaming know the techniques don't fit the definition of torture. Better to continue the myth and let he rapid Bush haters sound off.

whats with all this moral values crap,

in 1945 the then president of the united states didn't use torture to attain his freedom from oppresion, he used two atomic bombs killing over 200,000. people and maiming untold others. that ended the 2nd
world war and allowed our soldiers to come home and give birth to the majority of your readers who are crying about the moral values of the usa.being compromised. unlike the terrorists the cia did not cut off anybody's head and send a video to brag about it, they did not tie bombs to a prisoner and send them into a cell block to blow anybody up ect. the enhanced tactics were very mild compared to what happens to prisoners of terrorists. if the democrats want to sound like they have superior methods to extract information, then the secretery of homeland security should start by finding out how the terrorist from 9-11 got into the usa. she is under the impression they came in from canada. if she read the report from the 9-11 commission she would know they all came from overseas and landed in the us with documentation obtained from the us government. so much for obaba's better security objective. how can you prevent another attack when you don't even know how the last one came about.

Sean Hannity volunteered to be waterboarded "for charity." What a great idea. Let his lame a$$ be waterboarded 184 times in a month. Will he still come out smiling and calling himself a "real American."

Wake up. Waterboarding has been a form of torture since the middle ages. And if Cheney/Bush had to cut it up into minutes and temperatures to make it legal, shame on us them and shame on us for even having to debate their actions.

When government agencies can torture foreigners with impunity, it's only a matter of time before they can do it to Americans in America, and it's only a matter of time before foreign governments begin doing it to American servicemen and women if they're not aleady. And regardless of what the president says about agents acting with proper legal opinions in place, the agents know it is wrong.

We all new that the last admin was torturing people Dick said so and he would do it again. So why all of you seem so surprised.
The question I have to ask all of you is, don't you think it's time for Clemency for the NCO guards at Abu Ghraib prison they were following orders just like the CIA?

The USA has broken dozens of INTERNATIONAL laws (during the Bush Administration) and they think they are respected as world leaders (setting positive examples)? Wow. The "modern GOP" is indeed seen as extreme right wing racist fascists by the rest of the democratic world. No wonder Iran, North Korea, and Russia, etc. have to build up to "defend themselves".

as he fritters away at US national security, but nothing can compare to Bush reading to children with the deer in the head lights look as he realizes that the memos that have been sitting on his desk for 9 months telling him this was going to happen were more then something to sit his garlic fries on

Why were conservatives so concerned about being a nation of laws when Bill Clinton lied about sex, but don't seem troubled by the concept when justifying torture? If there was nothing wrong with those techniques then they should have been made legal. They weren't, and the administration knew it, and now they should pay the consequences for the their illegal actions.

»WELL said,again,Valerie Jarrett. Indeed.

This entire ordeal is all about the political gains the Democrats think they can amass. Now, classified memos and shortly, photographs will be on the world stage thanks to Barry's caving to leftist extremists like George Soros. Our country is significantly weakened and for what? So those that despised Bush and Cheney can fill their pitiful egos in gaining vengeance. Pelosi, Reid et.al. were all briefed. God help them all if we're hit again

Come on people, let's get our heads out of the sand so we can get out of this economic crisis. We can't say torture is OK when the International community is angry about it, and then we turn right around and ask to borrow money from them when they don't support what we've done. The war on torture and our economic survival are at odds with one another, so look further than just the word torture.

What is the difference between the mafia and the goverment?

We have torture, blackmail, lying, and strong arm robbery.

Congress are like the Dons with the CIA being the hitmen.

Once your in, you can never leave.

There is one difference. Congress votes in their own 17% raises every year.

Nothing new in the memos, but they decided to release them anyway to provide Obama political cover as he fritters away at US national security. Another attack on America the the blood is exclusively on Obama's hands.

Don't fool yourselves people. We were torturing people long before 9/11. The only difference is that we had other countries doing it for us. B & C just took it to a whole new level, that's all. Who do you think thought all those other horrible techniques to these other countries that are notorious for torturing people. Only the white man can think up these things then they manipulate these other dim witted fools to follow along so they can achieve their agenda. This is why I don't believe in God and any form of religion because these are always the tools they use to justify their vile and vicious ways and also to keep the victims in line. Think about these two statements, "The meek shall inherit the earth", and "Turn the Other Cheek." Now you tell me, who do they benefit?

For the past Abuse and Torture, No, I don't think Congress should push issue and open Pandora's box, HOWEVER, for all the HELL this country have been through with the PAST Administration over the past 8 yrs (esp. with Iraq Invasion, and our Image around the world in general), YES, the Four (4) Amigos (Bush, Condi, Chaney & Rummey, (maybe Rowe too)) should be sent STRAIGHT TO JAIL, with NO CHANCE of getting out, EVER!!! (They are the ones why our country is in the Mess it IS right now)!!

So, Obama dumps the decision on Holder, if he messes up Obama will say, he had nothing to do with it. This whole thing needs to just go away. Pelosi is the one that has been pushing for this and now claims she knew nothing about it. She admitted she was told they would use enhanced methods, wasn't it her job to find out what kind of methods. No one can convince me she did not know. She is the biggest problem in Washington, she is a wanna be president and acts like she already is.

Telling the truth is a good thing

All you liberal Democrats have such wishful hopes that Americans will turn against themselves and start throwing former Presidents and their staffs in jail. How sad that it is because of their actions to keep you safe, that you are allowed to say such stupid things, and you don't care that you are stupid as long as you have a liberal in the White House. Your hatred for Bush still continues to blind you of any common sense. If Obama is any kind of leader, he will make the decision himself to prosecute or not. He won't vote "present" again and leave the decision up to Holder. Then again, he is the "Waffler-in-Chief." It is too bad that the Democrats' standards are too low to care.

All this administration has shown so far is how gullible the American people are in believing campaign hype. It also shows how the voters usually panic during economic downturns and start voting in anyone regardless of their qualifications. Oh well, you get what you vote for. Anyone who disagrees with me, I just mark it up to your liberal stupidity, but you can try to respond. It is always quite comical to read your responses.

Cheny, Rumsfeld and Bush certainly don't fear their conscience in "having to live with" knowing they lied and approved torture. However, if we let them crawl off to their caves in peace and not demand an independent prosecutor investigate these war crimes then we, as Americans, are complicit.
These tortures were only being used in an attempt to justify the lies that Bush and his administration used to start the war in Iraq. How dare scum dog Cheney accuse President Obama for being unpatriotic and not keeping our country safe. Cheney should be tried for war crimes and put in jail!

These terrorists are not afforded the Genenva convention as no law protects them. These terrorist tortured, maimed, killed American soldiers and countless citizens of Iraq, and Afghanistan. And now we offer them to be victims. How short our memories have become and political our media and groups have made this a witch hunt. Good luck in protecting America as we are now perceived weak in the middle east.

The fact that the world is in complete turmoil and to fuel the fire of terrorists is a total rookie move.

What would happen if these pictures started riots? Not just here, but in some other country harming other?

These politicians are completely removed from us everyday commoners.

Besides, all it did was show how much Pelosi is another lying politician like the rest.

Jarrett is totally wrong when she says "torture is not who we are". Doing WHATEVER it takes to win a conflict and preserve the safety of our citizens is EXACTLY who we are. Some of our presidents have done the following:
* Lincoln – Suspended Habeas Corpus
* FDR – Sent Americans of Japanese descent to concentration camps
* Truman – Dropped nuclear weapons (twice) on civilian populations
* WIlson – Used poison gas on enemy troops
* Numerous presidents – Massacred entire indian populations
The list goes on and on.

The United States actually figured out a way to aggressively interrogate someone in ways that a person can actually walk a way from. We even train our own military using these techniques. We don't remove finger nails, or use knives to cut on people, or push bamboo chutes up someones finger nails. In the world of war, or dealing with terrorist, we have developed ways of dealing with these guys in ways they can still live their lives.
We are becoming a very weak nation in the eyes of the world. I know this media will portray it other wise. But this is nothing more than going after the previous Administration.
I didn't like the Bush administration, and I doubt if I really would have liked a McCain administration. But what's happening now is crazy. I feel like I'm in toontown, and the Loony toons are in charge.
Someone needs to step forward, and fix this mess that is our government, (Note: Whole government, not just one party) and a media outlet needs to really start being our eyes, and ears instead of a left, or right wing mouth piece.

Bill,

I completely agree with your views on torture...i voted for President Obama and support him 100% but do not think these techniques are torture...I have seen worse on fear factor. But the President is on the right track with the economy.

Simple!
Need we say more?
The Republicans are looking more like the Nazi party – grown senile and wheelchair bound! 2 wrongs could never never make a right. Obama has done the right thing. And try as you may one right could never never make a wrong!

I agree that John King is not well-qualified to present the "State of the Union". I've always thought him strictly republican, and he isn't president - he can't give us the state of the union.

Watch re-runs on some silly tv show – it's less prejudiced.

Sad to say but the country is in the hands of socialist wimps at least until 2013.

The issue is the legality of torture.

When one cannot defind the legality of torture, they rely on the emotional issue of whether torture gained information. That is an odd argument.

Let's say we cut off someone's hands and gain the information we want, does that justify the cutting off of the hands? Absurd.

Are we still AMERICANS, or did the Cheney Torture Posse turn us into a nation of FASCISTS?

So, who says this is torture. A bunch of people that know nothing about it. Slapping someone on the face, or pouring some water over them (to simulate drowning – not put them in any physical danger) is questionable as far as torture goes. This who thing is being used to take the focus off the mess that Obama is creating with his massive socialistic programs that will banckrupt the country in the next 10-15 years.

Bush, Cheney, Condi Rice, Rumsfeld and Colin Powell are in deep trouble now. They falsified evidence for war in Iraq and they used "rendition" to torture possibly innocent civilians. I think the international community will want war crime trials soon.

Are we talking about the criminality of a crime or its effectiveness? If tortured worked for the Americans under Cheney's watch then the US must pay compensation to the families of the Japanese who were executed for the same crime on American soldiers.Nobody is above the law.

It is clear that the new administration are putting us all in danger with not supporting our military and the CIA. Obamba needs to stop being a actor and become a President of his word. I wish I COULD take my
vote back He has become a threat to the US security

America dose not torture, this is something the republicans over looked, i can no longer watch john king on state of the union, he should move to faux news.

prosecute them and throw them all in JAIL!

Cheney wants to justify torture by saying that it works. Does robbing a bank put money in your pocket? It certainly does but it is not legal. Should we abolish the international torture treaty if we find that it opens up a wealth of information? No, certainly not. Whether or not torture worked is not a justification for torture. It is an illegal immoral act. We don't defeat evil by becoming evil.

The administration is finding out just how difficult it is to handle this tortuous "torture" issue. There doesn't seem to be any easy answers. The democrats seem to be out for blood. The Bush protectors are trying to defend an indefensible position. The country has a host of issues that the president is tackling. At almost any other time I would say let's investigate this, have a commission, congressional hearings, etc.. Not now. We have an economy in crisis, a broken health care system, two wars that we think we might win, a military that has been fighting for a long time, global warming that finally the conservatives are beginning to realize, and a president that actually wants to do something. Getting mired down in torturegate won't solve these problems. I am more concerned that my kids and grandkids have a safer,cleaner, and more stable world than I am about Dick Cheneys legacy. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and that crowd have to live with what they did to our country. They can bluster, contort, or even lie, but at the end of the day they can't escape the fact that they didn't serve us well during the Bush administration. The facts will come out, the story will be told. Cheneys crowd knows that and it will not give them comfort. When Presiden Ford pardoned Nixon, it didn't stop the world from its condemnation of Watergate. The democrats don't have their hands clean in this affair. If they didn't explicitly know this torture was ongoing they should have. President Obama has vowed to change Washington. He will have a better chance of doing that if we move on and let the historians tell the story. My hunch is they will get the story out fast and credibly. Those that are guilty of perpetuating torture may never see the inside of a jail cell, but they know the truth, and that must be a terrible burden to live with.

CIA Memos. Torture debates all over the country. People are forgetting the main issue here. Now I agree that if information gathered from interrogation that saves American lives is good but that does not either justify or make it ok to torture. The question the country is debating is if torture is legal. Laws have defined torture and ruled that torture is illegal. President Obama has ordered torture to stop but he does not have the authority to say who will or will not be charged or put on trial for breaking the law. That is the job of the AG. I do understand why no president would want to see trials of the previous administration as it would open up every out going administration to being tried for violating federal laws while it was in power and it would make it hard for that administration to get support from the minority party in the day to day operations of our government.

The memos being released will serve only to inflame the public that is not used to having access to documents of this nature. Now some will say it is ok to torture if it saves lives but it is wrong for others to torture our people when captured. That's having your cake and eating it too and that is impossible.

If torture is to be against the law then we must find other ways to extract information. Just because others do it does not mean it is ok for us to do it.

So, if there is nothing new in the documents why not release all the documents rather than being selective.
As to the choice of prosecuting or not prosecuting, and obama leaving that decision up to attorney general Holder. If Holder wants to keep his job as AG he will prosecute. He doesn't make decisions, he carries out orders.

how many attacks were thwarted and how many American lives were possibly saved? Is this a one way investigation???

And where are the memos confirming what Pelosi knew and when she knew it? And the same for the other Democrats on the Intelligence committees.

If the White House lawyers are going to jail, we want to see Pelosi in the cell next to them.

I keep hearing from the right wing conservative Bush-Cheney spin-meisters that ALL the memos (particularly ones that show the "successes" torture had) should be made public...

...I agree that ALL of the memos should be made public...

...but, the argument that BECAUSE torture MIGHT have garnered information that "kept Americans safe"...

...is a non-sequitir...

...TORTURE is ILLEGAL, waterboarding caused people during WWII to be tried and hanged!

...If one robs a bank AND GETS AWAY WITH IT, the act can be characterized as "successful", yet it remains ILLEGAL!

At least with the arguments on this issue, the GOP is moving away from being classified as the party of NO. They are saying YES to torture.