Fred Thompson?

Why anyone should care what Fred Thompson thinks about President Obama's first hundred days (hint: he isn't pleased) is beyond me, but this is the kind of Quality Programming brought to us by the good folks at CNN. Fred thinks that the president is wrong to be pushed toward considering investigation and possible prosecution of those who tortured, ordered torture, authorized torture, or advised that torture was a pretty darn good idea. See, they were only trying to protect the country. 

Thompson said that prosecuting members of a prior administration would make us like "third world countries."

I wonder, which countries does he mean? Iraq? What does Thompson think of Saddam Hussein's trial? 

Let's be clear: what Obama may finally (and correctly) consider, and what "the left" is clamoring for, is not kangaroo trials and executions of prior officials for differences in political philosophies. This isn't a question of whether a Democratic administration would have made other decisions. This is a case of Rule of Law. We have laws in this country, and people are expected to obey them or face the consequences. And when those people are operating in the public trust, that is even more important.

We have a new administration. We don't have a new government, much less system of government. Obama did not come to power in a third world coup. And his job as chief executive is to enforce the law. Because if he doesn't, if individuals in our government can trample the law and the rights of citizens and ignore our international agreements and commitments, then what are we? Not a nation of laws. We are series of eight year dictatorships, each immune to accountability to the next. Each will start out knowing they can get away with anything. All they have to do is cover up and hold out until the next dictator takes over. All they have to do is not prosecute themselves.