Oh my: Obama won't prosecute CIA agents for waterboarding jihadists

You’re a young leftist president whose chances of reelection in an age of terror depend in no small part on the effectiveness of the CIA. Do you (a) choose to alienate the agency less than three months into your term by prosecuting members for loyally acting on the former president’s orders or (b) choose to alienate your nutroots base, who have near-zero influence in national elections and will end up voting for you anyway after they observe the mandatory 24-hour mourning period for this “betrayal”?

Advertisement

A fait accompli.

Attorney General Eric Holder says the government won’t prosecute CIA officials for using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation tactics on terror suspects…

Holder said in a statement Thursday it would be unfair to prosecute CIA employees for following the legal advice given at the time. And he says the government will defend any CIA employee in any court action brought in the U.S. or overseas.

“This is a time for reflection, not retribution,” President Barack Obama said in a statement.

It’s also a time for releasing Bush-era memos on enhanced interrogation, per a federal court’s ruling, and the CIA is none too pleased about that. Think The One was going to compound the problem by putting their guys in the dock for belly slaps? What choice did he have here realistically, lefty commenters?

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement