Torture, killings just a learning opportunity for Gazette editors

by: Jay Stevens

Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 19:12:46 PM MST

Luckily we have Dave Crisp:

It's a shame that the state's largest newspaper has taken so soft a stance on torture.

In an editorial on Sept. 4, The Billings Gazette called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to hold off on investigations of CIA misconduct, at least until he gets a Senate committee report. That's just wrong.

This is not a close call. The United States, like all other civilized nations, is obligated under the International Convention Against Torture, signed by President Reagan in 1988, to fully investigate credible allegations of torture committed by the U.S. government and its agents. We have no legal option under the convention except to investigate.

Remember, as Dave points out, Attorney General Holder is considering prosecution against only those interrogators who violated the already vile torture guidelines set out by the Bush administration. We're talking about interrogators who threatened and beat detainees, sometimes to death. We're talking about real thugs here, criminals, not agents following orders.

And, frankly, that Holder and the White House aren't talking about prosecuting those that came up with the "enhanced interrogation" strategy is our national shame. Since when did Montana editors find it reasonable to torture?