Monday, May 10, 2004
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LORD OF THE FLIES
Bar banter last night - as in many gathering places, of course - centered around the abuse of the Iraqi prisoners. The President will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't fire Rumsfeld. Arab media screaming at George's support of Rummy yet Prez must not appear weak and capitulate to shouting. And VP Cheney declared that Rumsfeld is the best Secretary of Defense the country has ever had - which is probably the most modest utterance he's ever made in that he was Secretary of Defense under Bush the Elder.
I know this is politically incorrect but I feel sorry for the American enlisted personnel who are taking the military judicial system's heat for what happened in Iraq prisons. I'm certainly not suggesting the sadism and humiliation heaped up those unfortunate Iraqis can in any way be condoned. It was wrong and the fallout will go on and on. But I wonder if there are not some among us who, if placed in that situation, might have gotten caught up in it - with or without official encouragement - and acted as did those who will be going on trial.
Whatever the case, a few courts martial won't satisfy the Arab world. Rumsfeld was not personally responsible but the buck supposedly stops with him - even though the Chain of Command rises higher. But if it were photos of American prisoners being treated as we treated the Iraqis, American blood would boil. Creating martyrs can have a price. Remember the Alamo. Remember the Maine.
Bar banter last night - as in many gathering places, of course - centered around the abuse of the Iraqi prisoners. The President will be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't fire Rumsfeld. Arab media screaming at George's support of Rummy yet Prez must not appear weak and capitulate to shouting. And VP Cheney declared that Rumsfeld is the best Secretary of Defense the country has ever had - which is probably the most modest utterance he's ever made in that he was Secretary of Defense under Bush the Elder.
I know this is politically incorrect but I feel sorry for the American enlisted personnel who are taking the military judicial system's heat for what happened in Iraq prisons. I'm certainly not suggesting the sadism and humiliation heaped up those unfortunate Iraqis can in any way be condoned. It was wrong and the fallout will go on and on. But I wonder if there are not some among us who, if placed in that situation, might have gotten caught up in it - with or without official encouragement - and acted as did those who will be going on trial.
Whatever the case, a few courts martial won't satisfy the Arab world. Rumsfeld was not personally responsible but the buck supposedly stops with him - even though the Chain of Command rises higher. But if it were photos of American prisoners being treated as we treated the Iraqis, American blood would boil. Creating martyrs can have a price. Remember the Alamo. Remember the Maine.
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