Sunlight On Torture

It seems to me that the way the Obama administration is handling the most profound moral and political question we currently face is turning out to have its benefits. They have refused to prosecute or set up a "truth commission". But they have unequivocally banned torture and are slowly releasing many of the formerly secret memos that laid it out in full. The latest decision to release several memos detailing procedures approved by the last president is potentially huge:

According to the administration official, ex-CIA director Michael Hayden was "furious" about the prospect of disclosure and tried to intervene directly with Obama officials. But the White House has sided with Holder. Faced with a court deadline in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit regarding the memos filed by the ACLU, Justice lawyers asked for a two-week extension "because the memoranda are being reviewed for possible release."

The truth will emerge. And we will have to decide what to do about it.