Obama's dilemma over CIA tactics

The BBC comes to Obama's aid.

You see, according to the BBC, if it were just only up to Obama this whole mess would go away.

"Mr Obama's own instincts on the matter are interesting.

He talks of wanting to look to the future, not the past, which is a clear enough signal that if it were up to him he might well decide on balance that it would be better not to re-open old wounds. "

But it is up to Obama "not to re-open old wounds". The United States Attorney General serves at the pleasure of the President. Translation - Obama can fire him. There's no way Obama didn't know this was coming and could have ordered Holder to stop or be fired.

Here's what this is really all about.

"But on the left of the Democratic Party there is a real appetite for proceeding with further investigations into these interrogations and for prosecutions.

In the eyes of many, this is an opportunity to put the Bush administration itself on trial. "

This is just an attempt by Obama to get attention off his failed health care reform program.

The BBC fails to point out the hypocrisy of the Democrats as well.

"For years, while George W Bush was in the White House, Democrats railed impotently against what they regarded as illegal wars, immoral detention and interrogation techniques, and a dark and secretive political atmosphere in which they sense American values were betrayed. "

Those two wars still continue, rendition flights continue and Bagram airbase in Afghanistan is Obama's Gitmo. Let's not forget that 8 months on and Gitmo is still open.

"They have the upper hand now and they want to take advantage of this. "

Yep, playing politics with our national security is the hallmark of Democrats.

"Mr Obama's advisers will be horrified at the idea of going into the mid-term elections at the end of next year with the impression in the air that Republicans are tough on national security issues, while they are merely tough on Republicans.

Mr Holder's new investigation will provide a measure of breathing space on the issue for the White House. "

Translation - this is just an attempt to appease the far left. The investigation will drag on through next years elections and Obama will be able to say he can't comment on ongoing investigations. We will be told to be patient and wait for the investigation to run its course.

But the BBC want you to be in no doubt that this is all Bush's fault.

"The search will now once again be on for some way to defuse the landmines left by the old administration in the path of the new. "

Just one problem with that, Obama reopened the minefield himself.