Obama has declared amnesty for CIA agents involved in torture.  One can certainly understand this sentiment.  If we don’t allow covert agents amnesty from earlier actions approved by the Bush administration, we are not likely to find anyone willing to carry out administrative sanctioned covert (extra-legal, not rule of law) actions today.

On the other hand, during ROTC training in Viet Nam War times, I was told that officers were placed in underground missile silos to fire those nuclear tipped missiles, solely to put a conscience into the system.  The missile-launch officers were the last act of judgment on the morality of the attack on the enemy.  However, there were two launch officers.  If they disagreed on this judgment, they had side arms to settle any and all differences.

It is clear that our society requires individuals to decide what is right or wrong in the moment.  The holocaust paper shuffler, Adolf Eichmann, also used the Obama defense, “I was only following orders.” Yet he was judged guilty and negligent for failure to resist the Jewish genocide. 

Do we uphold the American ideal of “rule of law” and the constitutional imperative to honor treaty obligations or are we pragmatic and allow the CIA torturers to go free?  It seems most Oklahomans detest Obama, but do you detest him for this declaration?  I do.