Tuesday, May 04, 2004
WITH APOLOGIES TO THE GREAT ONE...
See...I told you so - Rush Limbaugh book title
Yesterday I outlined my disgust at the photos and treatment of Iraqi detainees...and today it's exploding among those who enjoy taking political advantage of the situation. They include:
Islamic extremists - who have also seen fit to publish additional "fake" photos alleging rapes and other forms of torture.
Democrat extremists - who have taken the cue from their instincts and are seeking political advantage of the issue by blaming Bush. See Tom Daschle for more information.
I received a lot of comments by those who (unbelievably) want to explain away the problem...minimize the impact...and make excuses for the treatment. My wife, who is normally an understanding former member of the military, said in our home-discussion of the topic that they were probably not "supervised properly." I'm sorry if I don't understand this as well as most people, but I'll put it simply:
Honesty and integrity are best exemplified by the actions we take when no one is watching.
Here's just one good email that represents a lot of them I've received:
Yesterday you railed against people who justified the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners. I am another one. I am certainly not for abusing anyone, BUT when there are American soldiers lives at stake the interrogators must be given broad leeway. To humiliate and mistreat a few Iraqis to gain the much needed intelligence to save just one Marine life is by far worth it. To prevent having to tell the parents of just one Marine that their son has paid the ultimate sacrifice, this type of interrogation is VERY justified. The pictures, on the other hand, should have never been taken. This is the ugly part of war that does need to be shown to the world. Any type of embarrassment or humiliation of an individual can be easily overcome and forgotten about. Lopping of a hand or cutting out a tongue can not. When the war prisoners are taken, the intelligence they hold becomes stale quickly. The information must be extracted immediately. Naked leap frog, naked pyramids, or even making prisoners perform homosexual acts is justified, while reports of sodomizing prisoners with broom handles go over the line. Serious, long-lasting injuries can occur from this abuse. In conclusion, give the Intel officers the leeway they need to get the job done, but rely on their good judgment to what is crossing the line into abuse.
I especially enjoyed the remark - "...To humiliate and mistreat a few Iraqis to gain the much needed intelligence to save just one Marine life is by far worth it..."
I hate to pull too much of a fast one, but isn't that what terrorists do? Kill a few civilians for the "greater good" of their cause? I rest my case.
See...I told you so - Rush Limbaugh book title
Yesterday I outlined my disgust at the photos and treatment of Iraqi detainees...and today it's exploding among those who enjoy taking political advantage of the situation. They include:
Islamic extremists - who have also seen fit to publish additional "fake" photos alleging rapes and other forms of torture.
Democrat extremists - who have taken the cue from their instincts and are seeking political advantage of the issue by blaming Bush. See Tom Daschle for more information.
I received a lot of comments by those who (unbelievably) want to explain away the problem...minimize the impact...and make excuses for the treatment. My wife, who is normally an understanding former member of the military, said in our home-discussion of the topic that they were probably not "supervised properly." I'm sorry if I don't understand this as well as most people, but I'll put it simply:
Honesty and integrity are best exemplified by the actions we take when no one is watching.
Here's just one good email that represents a lot of them I've received:
Yesterday you railed against people who justified the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners. I am another one. I am certainly not for abusing anyone, BUT when there are American soldiers lives at stake the interrogators must be given broad leeway. To humiliate and mistreat a few Iraqis to gain the much needed intelligence to save just one Marine life is by far worth it. To prevent having to tell the parents of just one Marine that their son has paid the ultimate sacrifice, this type of interrogation is VERY justified. The pictures, on the other hand, should have never been taken. This is the ugly part of war that does need to be shown to the world. Any type of embarrassment or humiliation of an individual can be easily overcome and forgotten about. Lopping of a hand or cutting out a tongue can not. When the war prisoners are taken, the intelligence they hold becomes stale quickly. The information must be extracted immediately. Naked leap frog, naked pyramids, or even making prisoners perform homosexual acts is justified, while reports of sodomizing prisoners with broom handles go over the line. Serious, long-lasting injuries can occur from this abuse. In conclusion, give the Intel officers the leeway they need to get the job done, but rely on their good judgment to what is crossing the line into abuse.
I especially enjoyed the remark - "...To humiliate and mistreat a few Iraqis to gain the much needed intelligence to save just one Marine life is by far worth it..."
I hate to pull too much of a fast one, but isn't that what terrorists do? Kill a few civilians for the "greater good" of their cause? I rest my case.
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