ADMINISTERING TORTURE

5/6/04

I can't believe how sick this whole Bush-Iraqi thing is getting. After 9/11, most of the World was sympathetic and even affectionate to the United States. They agreed that we had to go after Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaida and many of them joined our efforts in Afghanistan.We had an excellent international reputation as honest, caring, freedom loving people.

Then Bush and his right-wing wackos began exploiting 9/11 for their own political purposes. They alienated the United Nations and most of our allies by going to war with Iraq, even though it was obvious to all of them that Saddam had no connection to Al Quaida and presented no risk to the United States.

The Bush administration tried to present an upbeat scenario. Saddam was supposed to succumb to "shock and awe" of American forces, people would welcome our troops with open arms and flowers, and Iraq would quickly become a thriving, democratic friend of the United States. Of course, George would enter the history books as a great wartime president.

Well, they were wrong! The Defense Department had obviously failed in planning for peace. Hundreds of American troops have been killed and many more wounded. Thousands of Iraqis are victims. It now looks like our forces are losing control; resistance is increasing and there is no way we can get enough troops on the ground to secure the peace. The Iraqi public is fed up with American military blundering and wants us out. The entire moslem world is affronted.

Now we have this problem of torture and abuse. The defense department has known about it for months and hasn't had the backbone to resolve the problem. A few days ago, Rumsfeld made a statement that he understands there is a difference between torture and abuse; he doesn't think it reached the level of "torture." I think it does reach the level of torture and I think the Geneva conventions would consider it such.

Well, I am here to tell you that when a prisoner is beaten until he dies - that is torture! I am also here to tell you that Iraq is not the only place our government is engaged in torture. Placing dozens of prisoners in metal shipping containers in Afghanistan without heating, cooling, water or sanitary facilities is torture. Locking people up for years without charges or justice is torture. And shipping prisoners to countries like Syria, Saudi Arabia and other nations that routinely used torture in interrogation is, in itself, torture.

Disregard for basic human rights, even in our own country, is the hallmark of this administration and it is time for it to stop. It is time for heads to roll if we are to get back our National reputation.

I would also point out that these right wing politicos are, for the most part, people who claim to be fundamentalist Christians. If war, murder, torture and abuse do not shake one's Christian sensibilities, what will? Please, please, stop the insanity, now. Right now!