Obama Must Oppose Spain's Bush Lawyer Probe: Bolton

Says he's 'firm proponent' of 'enhanced interrogation program'

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney offered an “answer” to President Obama’s national-security speech today, standing up for the policies of the Bush administration and saying he remained “a strong proponent of our enhanced interrogation program,” CNN reports. “In the fight against terrorism,” Cheney said, “there is no middle ground, and half-measures leave you half-exposed,” Politico adds. President Bush aimed to ensure 9/11 wasn’t “a prelude to something worse.” More»

Ex-VP setting himself, party up to benefit from another 9/11

(NEWSER) - Dick Cheney isn’t in an undisclosed location anymore. The former VP is suddenly waging a one-man campaign defending the Bush administration’s interrogation tactics. Even he can’t believe that’s a great political move, writes Michael Duffy of Time, so what’s he up to? It’s possible that Cheney is playing the long game. By arguing now that President Obama is making us less safe, he’s setting Republicans up to point fingers if another terrorist attack occurs. More»

Prosecution possible, but nailing Cheney a legal headache

(NEWSER) - Those calling for Bush administration prosecutions on torture-related grounds may have their way—but whether those in question can actually be convicted is a whole other kettle of fish, Jeffrey Rosen writes in New York. Much of the case would likely hinge on whether authorities believed their own claims in making a case for waterboarding. And appointing a special prosecutor could create headaches for the Justice Department. More»

Declassified memos show there were abuses, Garzon says

(NEWSER) - A Spanish judge has launched a probe into allegations of torture at the American prison at Guantanamo Bay, AFP reports. Baltasar Garzon initiated the investigation after reading statements by Spanish citizen Hamed Abderrahman Ahmed and three other prisoners about their treatment there. Garzon also said that the memos recently declassified by the Obama administration raised concerns about the Gitmo program. More»

(NEWSER) - More details are emerging from the Obama camp's debate on how to handle the Bush interrogation memos. In the Washington Post, Dan Balz writes that President Obama rejected the idea of setting up an investigation panel along the lines of the 9/11 Commission. Obama wanted to move on rather than drag out a never-ending investigation under the auspices of the White House. More»