One of the first bills introduced in the new Congress last week was a bill "to establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties."
Quote:
There is established the National Commission on Presidential War Powers and Civil Liberties (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the `Commission') to investigate the broad range of policies of the Administration of President George W. Bush that were undertaken under claims of unreviewable war powers, including detention by the United States Armed Forces and the intelligence community, the use by the United States Armed Forces or the intelligence community of enhanced interrogation techniques or interrogation techniques not authorized by the Uniform Code of Military Justice, `ghosting' or other policies intended to conceal the fact that an individual has been captured or detained, extraordinary rendition, domestic warrantless electronic surveillance, and other policies....
Search Results - THOMAS (Library of Congress)
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IMO....it is absolutely necessary.
Not for the purpose of punitive actions against Bush or senior or low level officials in his administration, but to ensure that such abuses, if found to exist (I certainly believe they existed), are not enabled for the new or future presidents.
Neither Obama or the Democratic leaders in Congress have yet endorsed the bill. While I understand the need to "look forward, not backward" and focusing their energies on the economy, two wars and the chaos in the Middle East, health care reform, etc., to let the Bush years just fade away would be a travesty.
Should such a Commission be convened? Or more importantly, will Obama and the Democratic leaders step up and make it happen?