Waterboarding Focus of Inquiry by Justice Dept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/washington/23justice.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=waterboarding+focus&st=nyt&oref=slogin- Hide quoted text -
---------- Forwarded message ----------From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>Date: Sat, Feb 23, 2008 at 9:09 PMSubject: Waterboarding Focus of Inquiry by Justice Dept.To: letters@nytimes.com

to the Editor: It is welcome that the department of Justice is inquiring into the justification for torture offered by it's own Office of Legal Counsel, but it is too little, too late. The first resort to torture was a violation of our treaty obligations. As such, it is a high crime, and deserved immediate criminal action, and potentially impeachment of those responsible. I have no reason to expect that the current attorney general will reverse the course of his immediate predecessor, and put the defense of our constitution ahead of his loyalty to the White House. Concurrent with this internal department of Justice inquiry, we need an independent prosecutor who is not beholden to the White House. Anything short of this would be to perpetuate and expand the cover-up of a crime, of a violation of our treaty obligations and of a blot on our national character.Barry Levine1142 Brown AveLafayette, CA 94549