Thursday, May 21, 2009

Bond, Skelton React to Obama Speech

Sen. Kit Bond said he was disappointed that President Obama's speech failed to outline a specific plan to deal with the detainees at GITMO.

"The White House needs a new calendar – bashing the policies that have kept our nation safe from another 9-11 is not a national security strategy," said Bond. "The election is over, President Obama won, and now he needs to tell the American people his plan to keep our country safe."
MEANWHILE, REP. IKE SKELTON said he was encouraged:

"I am very encouraged by the president's focus on the future and his commitment to work with Congress to address complex and sometimes difficult national security issues. ... I do not believe the current system can bring terrorists to justice in a way that ensures convictions can withstand judicial scrutiny."
ALSO: The House overwhelmingly approved legislation reforming the way the Pentagon buys weapons.

1 comment:

gumshoe said...

I'm impressed.

The President made it clear that he does not want a truth commission -- not because he wants to whitewash this -- but because he wants the actual, Constitutional, institutions of the nation to do their job.

The Courts, the Department of Justice and Congress are completely capable of handling the investigations and prosecutions for the Bush era State Sponsored Torture program. It is not the president's job to do these things -- in fact, if anyone, it would be the Attorney General's job.

He's not the chief law enforcement, he oversees the Executive Branch, which is not responsible for oversight. Nor is he in charge of interpreting law and finding guilt -- that's for the courts.