Forget the thousands Saddam killed, we've got two dead under Americas watch, hold the phone, impeach the president... [/B]
come to think of it, someone should take responsibility for this. Not necessarily the president, maybe the Defense secretary (if it was committed by US troops), or John Ashcroft (if it was committed by CIA/FBI agents). Why: sanctioned torture and killings is so reprehensible by the rest of the world that unless you send out the message decisively that it will not be tolerated, people will have reason to judge the integrity of your adminstration. Is that attitude so pervasive throughout your administration, that torture and murder is okay? You have to hold someone accountable.
I'm surprised you fail to see how
anti-American this is, and how it goes against everything your country once stood for.
I remember watching the movie
The Siege. The short summary is:
- terrorists attack in US city
- military takes over US city after martial law is declared
- general jails all Arab-Americans
- general tortures terrorist suspect & shoots him
- general is arrested at the end of the movie by FBI agent
- even general's troops refuse to obey his orders at the end
well, one point of the movie was that no matter how dire the circumstances (terrorist attacks, people getting blown up etc.), America does not and will not tolerate torture and murder of suspects. Due process cannot be circumvented. America is about the good guys, even generals are not above the law.
Look how far your country has come since then, to a point where torture and murder of suspects 'seem right' by ordinary Americans like yourselves, and are even defended. That torture and murder of suspects is so
wrong whatever the circumstances that it has to be self-evident for a nation that prides itself on its freedom and rights.
That movie was made in 1998, and in retrospect was prescient. Quoting:
Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: Are you people insane? What are you talkin' about?
General William Devereaux: The time has come for one man to suffer in order to save hundreds of lives.
Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: One Man? What about two? What about six? How about public executions, huh?
General William Devereaux: Feel free to leave whenever you like, Agent Hubbard.
Anthony 'Hub' Hubbard: Come on General, you've lost men, I've lost men, but you can't do this. What if what they really want .. what if they don't even want the Sheik? Have you considered that, huh? What if what they really want is for us to herd children into stadiums like we're doing? And put soldiers on the street and have Americans looking over their shoulders? Bend the law, shred the Constitution just a little bit. Because if we torture him, General, we do that and everything we have bled and fought and died for is over. And they've won. They've already won!
General William Devereaux: Escort him out.
Because if we torture him, General, we do that and everything we have bled and fought and died for is over. And they've won. They've already won!
Here's a more detailed plot summary.
http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies/siege.html
