Thursday, May 13, 2004
Rumsfeld Follows George W. Bush's Lead
It turns out that our Secretary of Defense, like the President, isn't interested in being a role model for our country's left behind children:Newsday.com - AP World News: "'I've stopped reading newspapers,' Rumsfeld quipped to the troops at Abu Ghraib. 'You've got to keep your sanity somehow. I'm a survivor.' "
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Another Misinformed American
You really have to wonder where people like the following letter writer are getting their news:Letters from readers: "Overwrought Dayton
The indignation surrounding the Iraqi prison abuses borders on comical. The actions are unfortunate, but Sen. Mark Dayton's description of the acts as people behaving 'in the most barbaric way possible' in committing acts 'that were sadistic and inhuman beyond description' is out of touch with reality.
The recent actions of Iraqi insurgents against the civilian contractors meet the Dayton description, but the simple acts of degradation reflected in the Iraqi prison photos do not.
Robert Gust, Bloomington."
I'm not sure how inhumane something needs to be to meet Mr. Gust's defnition of the word, but I hope it's somewhat short of what our military has been up to:
US military confirms existence of horrific pictures and video: "The Bush administration was bracing itself last night for the release of new pictures and video footage from Abu Ghraib which show US soldiers having sex with an Iraqi woman prisoner, troops almost beating a prisoner to death, and the rape of young boys by Iraqi guards at the jail."
Another Misinformed American
Mr. Jore appears to be working under the false assumption (likely FOX viewer) that everyone being abused in an Iraqi jail is there for a good reason. Not that that in any way justifies the behavior of the troops, but even using this as an attempt to rationalize their behavior doesn't hold water in light of the Red Cross report cited below.They're the enemy: "While it is wrong for POWs to be treated inconsistently with regard to the Geneva Convention, I also believe that this situation has been blown out of proportion. Let's not forget that these people are our enemies. They've either killed or tried to kill our fellow Americans on the battlefield.
This is not representative of the way more than 100,000 troops have conducted themselves.
Jim Jore, Courtland, Minn."
Most `Arrested by Mistake': "Coalition military intelligence officials estimated that 70% to 90% of prisoners detained in Iraq since the war began last year 'had been arrested by mistake,' according to a confidential Red Cross report given to the Bush administration earlier this year."
Monday, May 10, 2004
Rape Rooms: A Chronology - What Bush said as the Iraq prison scandal unfolded. By William�Saletan
Is he an incompetent leader who doesn't read his briefings or expect to be briefed on the realities of his war, or is he a heartless man who will say anything to get reelected? hmmmmmmmmmRape Rooms: A Chronology - What Bush said as the Iraq prison scandal unfolded. By William Saletan: "Rape Rooms: A Chronology
What Bush said as the Iraq prison scandal unfolded.
"Because we acted, torture rooms are closed, rape rooms no longer exist, mass graves are no longer a possibility in Iraq."—Bush, remarks at "Ask President Bush" event, Michigan, May 3, 2004"
Misinformed American of the Day
What's wrong with this letter from today's Minneapolis Star Tribune:Letters from readers: "Saddam never said sorry
President Bush has apologized to the world for the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners during interrogation. That was the right thing to do. But critics still protest in the harshest terms. Will one of those critics step forward and tell me this: How many times did Saddam Hussein apologize for the physical torture by the hundreds and murder by the thousands of his own people? Enlighten me.
Rick Moses, New Brighton."
1. Bush Apologized to the leader of a country that wasn't involved in the torture rather than to the Iraqi prisoners: "Bush told Jordan's King Abdullah II: ``I was sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families,'' and said the images had made Americans ``sick to their stomach.'' "
2. [On Arab TV] Bush admits abuses, but no apology - 05/06/04: "Acknowledging mistakes but stopping short of an apology, President Bush told the Arab world Wednesday that Americans are appalled by the abuse and deaths of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of U.S. soldiers. He promised that 'justice will be delivered.'"
3. Mr. Moses then justifies Bush's reaction to this abhorrent behavior by stating that it's better than Saddam Hussein's. Wow. When you need to start comparing the President or the United States to a Middle East dictator to make him look good, you've really hit rock bottom.
Sunday, May 09, 2004
A Misinformed American
One has to wonder how an American could be so misinformed about what's happened to Iraqi prisoners. I get the impression that the letter writer gets his news from Rush Limbaugh rather than the very newspaper his letter was published in.Here's Brian Larson's opinions on prisoner abuse:
Star Tribune Letters from Readers: "Frat games vs. real evil
I've had just about enough of the 'Iraq prisoner abuse.' Let's hear more about the pictures of Daniel Pearl getting his throat cut. Let's hear more about the pictures of innocent Americans jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center buildings. Let's see photos of the burned and charred bodies of Americans in Fallujah.
Wake up, America. The real evil in the world is not U.S. soldiers playing frat games with prisoners. The evil is the acts of real torture and terror committed by Muslim extremists.
Brian Larson, Buffalo."
Here's Rush Limbaugh's description of the behavior:
FT.com Rush Limbaugh on Torture Allegations: "Rush Limbaugh, the right-wing US talk radio host, said of the torture allegations: 'This is no different than what happens at the [Yale University] Skull and Bones initiation, and we're going to ruin people's lives over it and we're going to hamper our military effort.'"
And here is the an actual news report:
More abuse photos likely to emerge: "While Rumsfeld did not go further in his description of the yet unviewed material, Graham declared that the new images would show rape and murder.
'We're not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience. We're talking about rape and murder and some very serious charges,' Graham said.
That account was corroborated by a senior Army official."
Since when have RAPE and MURDER been considered FRAT GAMES, Brian? I hope the comments of a Republican member of the Senate Armed Services committee, who also happens to be a member if the USAFR, Lindsey Graham, carry more weight with Brian Larson than the opinions of a right-wing pill popping talk show host.
