What Does America Stand For?

Jesus's General points to a depressing post on torture by Ian Welsh:

I don’t think America stands for anything particularly noble at this point. I’d be happy to be convinced otherwise, so if commenters have ideas, I’d like to hear them.

I should add, on the original question I’m willing to bet that within a couple years we’ll find out that whatever he may have said about stopping torture, torture has continued and will continue under the Obama administration. Less of it, doubtless, but still torture.

Ian is absolutely right. The title of his post is "Obama’s Refusal to investigate torture tells us that America is a land of men, not laws". I'd go further. Obama, in refusing to prosecute the anyone from the former administration for the laws they clearly broke, is actively assisting in the breakdown of the rule of law.

This is a bitter disappointment from a man who inspired and moved me during the election. Now that he's in office, he's lost his spine and his vision.