Inspired by my own GD thread entitled, “Could Bush pardon Osama?”, I am curious to know…
if Bush had the authority to pardon Osama under his Executive Branch powers, would he? What would the backlash be?
Of course not. Why would you consider it possible for even a microsecond?
As thanks for all those Halliburton profits and ensuring GWB’s second term?
It’s unthinkable, of course. Osama is only useful as a boogeyman at large, and pardoning him would defeat that purpose, even if all the conspiracy theories about White House + Taliban cooperation were true. Look at how fast Bush’s daddy turned on his drug pal Noriega once the guy outlived his usefulness.
Not unless Osama has something extravagantly earth shaking, like a video of him meeting face to face with Bush in a meeting where they plan the 9-11 attacks. Something so awful that the consequences of him releasing it would be worse than the backlash from a pardon.
The Presidential pardon power get removed via Constitutional Amendment, I rather expect. And Bush explores new realms of low popularity.
Also as noted in your other thread Bush can only pardon federal crimes. The state of New York could still prosecute Osama for several thousand murders.
Further, it would not stop the next president from continuing to pursue Osama in Afghanistan. The military could still catch up with and capture/kill Osama despite a presidential pardon.
In short while Bush could do this it would gain him nothing more than the ire of the entire country and a good part of the world. It’d probably even piss off Al Qaeda who would suggest they have nothing to be pardoned for having not committed a crime but are freedom fighters (or some such).
Yeah, I was just pondering the same thing. On a similar note, if his daughter that just got married got pregnant, would Bush have her kidnapped in the middle of the night and have the fetus removed so he could eat it? I wonder. And if so, what would the ramifications be if his snacking deed were found out?
Also, if Obama is elected, I think it much more plausible—likely, even—that he would pardon Osama. They share almost the same name, after all.
Mods:
Can I suggest a “spike through the head smiley” to the powers that be? Sometimes no number of :rolleyes:s is adequate.
This is ridiculous.
[QUOTE=Whack-a-Mole]
Also as noted in your other thread Bush can only pardon federal crimes. The state of New York could still prosecute Osama for several thousand murders.
Along with a goodly number of dependants of those killed in the WTC .
Talk about vigilantes, man the place would be overrun with them
I was going to say I couldn’t imagine a scenario in which this would happen, but Der Trihs did come up with one. Still, I don’t care how much you dislike Bush- this is about the most unlikely idea I’ve ever heard and it’s amazing to hear anybody propose it.
If Bush did this, a Republican wouldn’t get into office for a thousand years (give or take).
Why? We got the guy responsible for 9/11. Saddam done got a trial and executed and everything. </tongue-in-cheek>
Moderator’s Note: I really don’t think there’s a debate here.