Dear Mr. President

Here's more evidence that crimes against humanity were committed by powerful people in government during the past eight years. Possible perpetrators include Vice President Dick Cheney, as suggested by the author of this piece.

The author, Andrew Sullivan, by his own story, is of the Conservative persuasion. But his persuasion is not anything like the so-called Neocon variety. Sullivan honors, respects and identifies with the positive, perhaps even original, connotations of the word; responsible, honest, careful, not hasty, prudent, fiscally good stewards, to cite a few. The Neocon version, judged by its actions, not its words, exhibits opposite characteristics.

Some examples: Take the country to war that was not essential to its security, though they lied trying to make a case that it was. Squander a healthy budget surplus bequeathed to it by the previous administration. Cut taxes for the wealthiest, and thus most powerful, Americans. Spend $Billions per month on that Iraq war of choice.

Neocons effectively hijacked a word, term, label which implied respectability, and used it to entice the gullible to grab the bait on their hook, a lure which made it seem appealing, simple,
easy to chose, and camoflaged by simplistic shibboleths like "patriotic", "good versus evil", and other fear inducing propaganda.

And here's a view which I had not considered, because I had not known about it. Glenn Greenwald interviewed a UN official who finds that the US is obligated to investigate accusations of torture as a signatory to certain parts of International Law.


Three well known and reputable opinion columnists employed by the New York Times recently have written eloquently on the subject. Frank Rich makes a strong case here, as does Nicholas Kristof here, and Paul Krugman here.

Like you, these are genuine American patriots in the broadest sense, wanting what's best for our country, not just the narrow, militaristic, polarizing sense which the Cheney/Bush administration promulgated.


I was one who wholeheartedly supported you for president, mostly because I evaluated you as an honorable, highly moral human being. Because of that I'm surprised and disappointed in your clear wish that we not investigate allegations of torture, especially in view of the fact that you authorized the release to the public of the memos which document that torture was advocated, authorized and managed by the highest officials in our land during the past eight years.


I have no doubt that you want to be a president who is known now and hereafter for your positive contributions to the well being of Americans. In view of that, consistent with that, and especially because of that, I am convinced that you should make public your view that we must allow the law to take us where it leads, if you have any hope of restoring the confidence of Americans' trust in US Justice. The powerful and wealthy Americans are supposed to be held accountable to the laws of the land, just as are the rest of us.

It's claimed that we are a nation of laws.
Please make sure that it's really true and not simply a feel good shibboleth or slogan.

Give Justice a chance.

Respectfully,

Leanderthal
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness