©
Josh Sager – September 11th 2012
The "just following orders" excuse is not an acceptable defense for war crimes and corrupt conduct.
On the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist
attack, it is important to look back and reflect upon the day which pushed our
country down a very dark path. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon killed over 3000 Americans and have resulted in debilitating health
consequences for the first responders who were exposed to toxic chemicals—hundreds
of these brave individuals have developed cancers and respiratory problems and
are still in need of treatment. The largest terrorist attack in American history
not only killed our citizens, but it brought about widespread fear, paranoia,
and a willingness to do virtually anything to feel safe again.
While it is wrong to minimize the loss of life which
came from the 9/11 terrorist attack, arguably the most serious damage done by
this attack did not come from the planes flying into buildings, but rather our response
to this attack. The American people shut their eyes and let their government do
immoral, unethical, and un-American things in their name, all under the aegis
of preventing future attacks; pointless wars were started, killing thousands
more innocents. Our country began detaining people without due process and
torturing them. An American security state was created and egregious laws, such
as the Patriot Act, were signed into law.
With the death of Osama Bin Laden and the virtual
dismantling of the Al Qaida terrorist network, the terrorists who conspired to
kill our civilians and create terror in our population were brought to justice.
While it took many years longer, and cost us much more blood and treasure, that
it could have, the architects of the 9/11 terrorist attack were punished for their
crimes against the United States. Unfortunately, the individuals who used the
tragedy of 9/11 to push an ideological agenda and justify the widespread
breaking of laws in our names have not been punished, and may be allowed to
walk free.
Certain elements within the Bush administration used
the tragic deaths of thousands of Americans to justify their extreme agenda and
excuse the subversion of the rule of law. As of yet, the Obama administration
has refused to act upon the clear evidence implicating members of the Bush
White House in official misconduct, war crimes, and the disregard of American
lives in favor of a political agenda. With this unfortunate refusal to apply
the law, even to ex-politicians, future administrations will be able to point
back and say “if torture is illegal, why weren’t they prosecuted?” They will be
able to act in disregard of the law, secure in the fact that precedent protects
them from the legal consequences of their actions.
In order to stop the guilty members of the Bush administration
from walking away and to prevent this terrible precedent from being set, The
Obama Administration must begin legal proceedings aimed at charging the guilty.
The fact that Bush administration officials utilized their official power to
break the law, commit war crimes, and tell lies which resulted in multiple
deaths, does not exempt them from consequences—rather, it makes the pursuit of
justice even more vital. These people committed crimes in our, the American
peoples’, names and we should not be willing to let them slide. Americans need
to protest and demand that everybody, regardless of partisanship or position,
pay for their crimes and be held accountable under the law.
No comments:
Post a Comment