Finding Out Exactly What Happened

In supporting a Sept. 11-style commission to study Bush administration decisions on alleged torture, former Bill Clinton adviser William Galston puts getting the truth first:

My own view is that everyone involved should be granted immunity from prosecution--and then be required to testify fully and under oath. No doubt this approach would leave many people dissatisfied; the desire to punish wrongdoers and reaffirm the rule of law is understandable. Nonetheless, getting to the fullest possible understanding is more important. The path of prosecution would put the legal fate of a handful of individuals ahead of the broader national interest in finding out exactly what happened and in preventing what cannot be justified from recurring.