Should former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Cheney be pardoned for their actions regarding the torture and death of prisoners during the aftermath of the attack on New York City on 9/11?

Before Cheney’s term expired it has been written that Cheney sought a pardon for his pal Scooter Libby, which the then President Bush denied. Cheney was evidently worried of his potential legal culpability. Well, now that the Senate report on torture has been released he has reason to worry.

If a pardon were granted and accepted it would be a tacit admission of responsibility. But like the pardon of former President Richard Nixon I am troubled by using this tactic which is an easy way out for those who were responsible for the illegal actions that took place against those suspected of being part of the organization that was responsible for the attack on 9/11.

The United States was part of the effort to seek justice for the millions of people murdered by the Nazis and as a result the Nuremburg trials took place. Justice was served as much as it could be for the monstrous crimes against humanity that took place.

It has been said that only the victors meet out justice. The unsaid question is who can judge the acts of the victors? The United States is a signatory party to the Geneva Accords. Men and women need to have a body of law by which we live by. Just because the United States is the only super power does not make any person responsible for human rights violations above the law.

It is a credit to the system of government that the United States has that the Senate of the United States has made public a highly critical body of evidence against their own former President and Vice President and all of those involved in the torture that took place.

I am quite sure that the report will be used by dictators who will use this report against us and excuse their own behavior. They will, I am sure, continue to violate human rights.

Yes we, the United States, has done wrong. We have made mistakes. We have admitted it. The transparency that we have shown should be an example of how to do the right thing. It shows that our hearts are in the right place. We have aired in the light of day our dirty laundry. Those responsible will continue to make excuses and try to justify their actions. The use of torture is illegal and we should never use torture again. It produces bad intelligence and in the process it lowers the one using it to the level of those who perpetrated the murders of innocent civilians on 9/11.

Is the judgment of history going to be enough punishment and the shame that goes with that? Or should Dick Cheney and others be put before the dock of justice and tried for the crimes that he and others allegedly have committed? Bush and company have to worry about traveling abroad because they might be arrested. Should they be put on trial in America or be pardoned? Please give us your opinions on this important issue that we now face!