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The very least that I expect out of this is for the International Criminal Court to convict them as war criminals. Whether those convicted will actually do any

The very least that I expect out of this is for the International Criminal Court to convict them as war criminals. Whether those convicted will actually do any prison time is another issue. However, US will have to live with the shame for decades that it's harboring war criminals, and it may even impact its dealings with other countries in the future. US will be in the history books as a country that not only allowed, but keeps condoning torture by refusing to punish the torturers. Brennan even implied that he's not ruling out the use of torture in the future. Maybe eventually, some new US president will decide that it's time to prosecute and imprison them so US can have a "clean start" in its international relations.

scarmig 12y ago
On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think it is for President-elect Bush or President-elect Clinton to announce this fresh new start?
- gorbachev 12y ago
  -1000000
- a3n 12y ago
  Zero. It's called professional courtesy, from one President (or President-elect) to another.
enlightenedfool 12y ago
What? nah. The number of countries that officially have no-torture policy are few. They need US for their economic growth. So, they would be silent. The other countries don't care. And I don't think USA officially feels any shame. I know many of its people do though but they are powerless and minority
- DanBC 12y ago
  It's in the UDHR (article 5) and the ICCPR (article 7), so most countries have firm legal restrictions against torture.
at-fates-hands 12y ago
>>> US will have to live with the shame for decades that it's harboring war criminals, and it may even impact its dealings with other countries in the future. Clearly not a student of history. The US has been harboring criminals since WWII when Operation Paperclip brought Nazi scientists back here to help build the atomic bomb. >>> US will be in the history books as a country that not only allowed, but keeps condoning torture by refusing to punish the torturers. Just like every other country in the world. I certainly don't condone what they did, but on a relative scale, it's a pretty minor considering what other countries have done and still actively do. If they don't include the atrocities the US committed in Vietnam in history books, you can be assured they won't touch this either. >> Maybe eventually, some new US president will decide that it's time to prosecute and imprison them so US can have a "clean start" in its international relations. Obama already tried being nice to these people we're at war with and look what it got us. He tried to have a "clean slate" with the terrorists, even said he would negotiate with the Taliban. Yes, the same Taliban who behead criminals, do not allow women rights and approve of honor killings. Because you know, he thought you could reason with these people - right?
tilc 12y ago
The ICC can't do anything. "The ICJ held that the U.S. had violated international law by supporting the Contras in their rebellion against the Nicaraguan government and by mining Nicaragua's harbors. The United States refused to participate in the proceedings after the Court rejected its argument that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The U.S. later blocked enforcement of the judgment by the United Nations Security Council and thereby prevented Nicaragua from obtaining any actual compensation." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States

scarmig 12y ago

On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely do you think it is for President-elect Bush or President-elect Clinton to announce this fresh new start?

gorbachev 12y ago
-1000000
a3n 12y ago
Zero. It's called professional courtesy, from one President (or President-elect) to another.

enlightenedfool 12y ago

What? nah. The number of countries that officially have no-torture policy are few. They need US for their economic growth. So, they would be silent. The other countries don't care. And I don't think USA officially feels any shame. I know many of its people do though but they are powerless and minority

DanBC 12y ago
It's in the UDHR (article 5) and the ICCPR (article 7), so most countries have firm legal restrictions against torture.

at-fates-hands 12y ago

>>> US will have to live with the shame for decades that it's harboring war criminals, and it may even impact its dealings with other countries in the future. Clearly not a student of history. The US has been harboring criminals since WWII when Operation Paperclip brought Nazi scientists back here to help build the atomic bomb. >>> US will be in the history books as a country that not only allowed, but keeps condoning torture by refusing to punish the torturers. Just like every other country in the world. I certainly don't condone what they did, but on a relative scale, it's a pretty minor considering what other countries have done and still actively do. If they don't include the atrocities the US committed in Vietnam in history books, you can be assured they won't touch this either. >> Maybe eventually, some new US president will decide that it's time to prosecute and imprison them so US can have a "clean start" in its international relations. Obama already tried being nice to these people we're at war with and look what it got us. He tried to have a "clean slate" with the terrorists, even said he would negotiate with the Taliban. Yes, the same Taliban who behead criminals, do not allow women rights and approve of honor killings. Because you know, he thought you could reason with these people - right?

tilc 12y ago

The ICC can't do anything. "The ICJ held that the U.S. had violated international law by supporting the Contras in their rebellion against the Nicaraguan government and by mining Nicaragua's harbors. The United States refused to participate in the proceedings after the Court rejected its argument that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction to hear the case. The U.S. later blocked enforcement of the judgment by the United Nations Security Council and thereby prevented Nicaragua from obtaining any actual compensation." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States