Conyers Introduces Bill To Create Commission That Will Investigate Bush Policies For Torture And Wiretapping

Think Progress- By Satyam Khanna at 4:32 pm

Conyers introduces bill creating commission to investigate Bush’s torture and wiretapping policies.»

TPM notes that House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has introduced legislation setting up a National Commission on Presidential War Powers and Civil Liberties. The panel’s goal is to “establish a Blue Ribbon Commission comprised of experts outside government service to investigate the broad range of policies of the Bush administration that were undertaken by the Bush administration under claims of unreviewable war powers.” While he is unlikely to prosecute Bush officials for war crimes, President-elect Obama has hinted at support for such a commission.

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Law Professor: Cheney Confessed To War Crime

Scholar: Cheney confessed to war crime

Raw Story- David Edwards and Muriel Kane
Published: Wednesday December 17, 2008

Constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley believes that not only did Vice President Dick Cheney “unambiguously” confess to a war crime during an ABC interview on Monday, but the US’ future as a nation may depend on taking action.

Asked by MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann whether Cheney had just confessed to a war crime on national television, Turley at first replied wryly, “It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? … If someone commits a crime and everyone’s around to see it and does nothing, is it still a crime?”

“It most certainly is a crime to participate, to create, to in many ways monitor a torture program,” he added. “What [Cheney] is describing is most certainly and unambiguously a war crime.”

During Monday’s interview, Cheney was asked, “Did you authorize the tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohamed?” and replied, “I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared.”

“What happens if the next administration does not press this?” Olbermann asked. “Do we let the International Court at the Hague come in and take over all our responsibilities for policing our own act here?”

“That’s what worries me the most,” Turley replied, “is that you can’t talk about change without having some moral component to it. It’s not just about creating jobs or lowering the price of gasoline.”

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