Wizdom
22-12-08, 19:47
Biden not 'ruling out' Bush prosecution
Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:31:33 GMT
Biden tells ABC News' George Stephanopolous that the prosecution of Bush administration officials over the use of torture is a possibility.
US Vice President-elect Joe Biden says he is "not ruling out" the prosecution of Bush administration officials over the use of torture.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, the vice president-elect said a Senate report which confirms abusive interrogations under the Bush administration may prompt a follow-up on the case by the Obama White House.
The Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed in a unanimous report last week that prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and prisons around the world was a "direct and indirect" result of decisions made by former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other high-ranking officials in the Bush administration.
Biden said the question of "whether or not a criminal act has been committed or a very, very, very bad judgment has been engaged in is -- is something the Justice Department decides."
He, however, added that he would not rule out the possibility that the next administration opens up the cases for review and prosecution.
Earlier in the day, Vice President Dick Cheney expressed strong support for the controversial interrogation methods used in the US 'war on terror'.
The Bush 'war on terror' was launched in response to the 2001 attacks on the US. The campaign's main objectives were to disband al-Qaeda and wipe out anti-US terrorists around the world.
Cheney, who did not offer any regrets or apologies for his aggressive role in guiding national security policies over the past eight years, openly mocked Biden who has pledged to pursue a less expansive agenda than that of the incumbent vice president, the Washington Post reported.
"Those who have accused the administration of condoning torture or violating the Constitution with the terrorist surveillance program don't know what they're talking about," Cheney told ABC's Jonathan Karl in an allusion to Biden's criticism of the Bush policies on torture.
The incoming US vice president, however, remained critical of Cheney and the advice "he has given to President Bush."
"We have created, not dissuaded, more terrorists as a consequence of this policy," Biden expounded.
Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:31:33 GMT
Biden tells ABC News' George Stephanopolous that the prosecution of Bush administration officials over the use of torture is a possibility.
US Vice President-elect Joe Biden says he is "not ruling out" the prosecution of Bush administration officials over the use of torture.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, the vice president-elect said a Senate report which confirms abusive interrogations under the Bush administration may prompt a follow-up on the case by the Obama White House.
The Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed in a unanimous report last week that prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and prisons around the world was a "direct and indirect" result of decisions made by former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other high-ranking officials in the Bush administration.
Biden said the question of "whether or not a criminal act has been committed or a very, very, very bad judgment has been engaged in is -- is something the Justice Department decides."
He, however, added that he would not rule out the possibility that the next administration opens up the cases for review and prosecution.
Earlier in the day, Vice President Dick Cheney expressed strong support for the controversial interrogation methods used in the US 'war on terror'.
The Bush 'war on terror' was launched in response to the 2001 attacks on the US. The campaign's main objectives were to disband al-Qaeda and wipe out anti-US terrorists around the world.
Cheney, who did not offer any regrets or apologies for his aggressive role in guiding national security policies over the past eight years, openly mocked Biden who has pledged to pursue a less expansive agenda than that of the incumbent vice president, the Washington Post reported.
"Those who have accused the administration of condoning torture or violating the Constitution with the terrorist surveillance program don't know what they're talking about," Cheney told ABC's Jonathan Karl in an allusion to Biden's criticism of the Bush policies on torture.
The incoming US vice president, however, remained critical of Cheney and the advice "he has given to President Bush."
"We have created, not dissuaded, more terrorists as a consequence of this policy," Biden expounded.