According to a story posted Thursday, April 16, on msnbc.msn.com, “Spanish prosecutors will recommend against opening an investigation into whether six Bush administration officials sanctioned torture against terror suspects at Gauntanamo Bay.”

And what brilliant rationale did Spain’s attorney general offer for begging off this war-crimes investigation?

The six named officials “were not present when the alleged torture took place.”

Give me a fucking break. They ordered it. Justified it. Provided preemptive legal cover for those who did it. Those are crimes of equal magnitude, no matter where the Bush Six were when they happened.

So … let’s check our scorecard, shall we?

Spain could have indicted the “Bush Six” for war crimes, but has chosen not to. Instead, they’re telling the human-rights lawyer who brought the case that he ought to go after the soldiers and intelligence officers who actually committed the acts, even though there is likely no way those individuals can ever be positively identified.

Meanwhile, President Obama has ruled out any prosecutions against those who actually committed the war crimes under legal cover from the White House because they were just following orders. (Gee, what a novel defense; I’ll bet that one has never failed before…) And his administration shows no sign of having the backbone to go after those who ordered the use of torture.

Chalk up another victory for Bush and his cabal of thugs, and another defeat for justice, truth, and human rights.

I’m going to bed now. Somebody wake me if Obama ever decides to man up and do the right thing. But don’t worry — I won’t be holding my breath.