Listen to Jeffrey Rosen, a law professor, find so many ways to say that acts of torture, when perpetrated by political leaders, should have no legal consequence. Just censure from the Congress, or if we must enforce the rule of law, do it on a few low-level grunts. Jeff actually appears to defend Bush for ordering up the Yoo memos – because the president – the poor guy – feared future prosecution for war crimes! Then Jeff actually – I’m not making this up – analogizes Bush’s torture and abuse regime with Jefferson’s machinations against John Adams. I’m unaware of dozens of individuals tortured to death under Jefferson. But perhaps Jeff has some historical data unavailable to me.
(Cartoon by James MacLeod.)
The Dish 