pay no attention to the screams behind the curtain

at Nuremberg, we set a precedent
that guilt inheres from top to bottom, all
the sender no less than the killer sent
should get stood side by side, against the wall
but Dubya reckoned torture's not like that
just hire a lawyer who'll say it's okay
the crimes go into a magician's hat
and--with some MumboJumbo--go away
accountability's for little folk
who view their government with pious awe
but Cheney treated treaties like a joke
conducting policy above the law
post-partisan Obama let it slide
so bit by bit, our proud republic died