Greatly Disappointed

The torture memos have finally been released. David Bromwich at Huffington Post has the president's statement concerning them analyzed very concisely. Read the entire article for all the particulars. I'm going to address only one issue concerning Obama's statements.

The United States is a nation of laws. 

My administration will always act in accordance with those laws, and with an unshakeable commitment to our ideals. 

A law is only as good as the certainty and enforcement of it's punishment when broken. No one fears a law that's not enforced. 

My gut says not to prosecute those who actually followed orders and did the torturing. Psychologists will attest that those forced to do such acts are just as harmed as the ones being tortured. It is those who wrote the memos and ordered the torture that need (not should) to be prosecuted. They are the criminals:

Starting with former president Bush and former vice-president Cheney. None of this would have happened if they had not ordered it to happen. It is clear that they didn't just allow this country to sink into depravity and barbarity they demanded it, and anyone who refused was fired.

This is an issue that can't be swept under a rug and forgotten. If measures are not taken now to punish those who are responsible it will happen again.

If we truly are a nation of law, then those who are responsible for the darkest, cruelest, and most immoral chapter in American History must be brought to justice. The very soul of this country hangs in the balance. We either live up to our ideals or Realpolitik rules.