War Crime Charges? Don't bet on it

Hat tip to Joe Gandelman for this one. Over at The Daily Dish, we find Andrew Sullivan talking about The War Criminal President. His basic premise is that a laundry list of alarming interrogation techniques (read: torture) used at Abu Ghraib and other places were clearly the intended policy of this administration. A description of several of these practices is included, followed by Sully's conclusion.

One day this president and vice-president will be prosecuted for war crimes.

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but that's pretty much beyond the realm of what I can imagine in this world. Yes, it is true that certain national leaders have been taken to task for their actions and faced criminal courts or more "terminal" prosecutions, but it is important to remember that these cases were always the heads of countries who lost. Winners still get to write the history books, at least in the short term.

Milosevic, Saddam Hussein, Mussolini... these were all people who didn't wind up running the show on the winning side. Taking down a leader from the victors is a far more difficult, if not impossible task. Perceptions matter in these things, and even if you believe that these activities rise to the level of "war crimes" you have to find a court inclined to hear such a case, taking on all of the long term repercussions attendant with it.

I wouldn't hold my breath.