Bush officials could face trial

** insert sound of angelic voices rejoicing ** Yeah, yeah, we'll believe it when we see it. Yeah, I know. But for now, let us simply enjoy this headline and the effect its having on the right:

Bush officials could face trial

President Barack Obama opened the door on Tuesday to possible prosecutions of U.S. officials who laid the legal groundwork for harsh interrogation of terrorism suspects during the Bush administration.

I can hear it now: "But... but... that socialist commie Islamodefeatohomofascist promised us bipartisanship!" Wehhhhhh!

Top US officials {yes, we're looking at you too, Dick Cheney - Ed.}, not a "few bad apples" of low rank, were behind harsh military interrogation tactics that spread from Guantanamo Bay to Afghanistan to Iraq, a new Senate report said.

For example, Don Rumsfeld -- among those other top misadministration officials -- called for the use of torture after 9/11 to "find links" between al-Qaida and Saddam to justify the Iraq invasion. And we all know how that worked out.

                                Bush officials could face trial

Heh. That is just so frickin' awesome. Bonus: Bush/Cheney officials may have to face war crimes charges in Europe:

European prosecutors are likely to investigate Bush administration officials on suspicion of violating an international ban on torture if they are not held legally accountable at home.

Many European officials said they were disappointed by President Obama's opposition to trials -- but that the release last week of secret Justice Department memos authorizing the techniques will make it easier for foreign prosecutors to open probes if U.S. officials do not.

Martin Scheinin, the U.N. special investigator for human rights and counterterrorism, said the interrogation techniques approved by the Bush administration clearly violated international law. He said the lawyers who wrote the Justice Department memos, as well as senior figures such as former vice president Richard Cheney, will probably face legal trouble overseas if they avoid prosecution in the United States.

"Torture is an international crime irrespective of the place where it is committed. Other countries have an obligation to investigate," Scheinin said.

Rule of law! Rule of law! The French are probably snickering in their freedom-pancakes right about now.