Deep Blade Journal

The superb Iraqi blogger, Riverbend, has had it. And what feeling, caring person could blame her?

From Baghdad Burning May 7, 2004: “People are seething with anger- the pictures of Abu Ghraib and the Brits in Basrah are everywhere. Every newspaper you pick up in Baghdad has pictures of some American or British atrocity or another. It’s like a nightmare that has come to life….

“And through all this, Bush gives his repulsive speeches. He makes an appearance on Arabic tv channels looking sheepish and attempting to look sincere, babbling on about how this ‘incident’ wasn’t representative of the American people or even the army, regardless of the fact that it’s been going on for so long. He asks Iraqis to not let these pictures reflect on their attitude towards the American people… and yet when the bodies were dragged through the streets of Falloojeh, the American troops took it upon themselves to punish the whole city ….

“I sometimes get emails asking me to propose solutions or make suggestions. Fine. Today’s lesson: don’t rape, don’t torture, don’t kill and get out while you can- while it still looks like you have a choice… Chaos? Civil war? Bloodshed? We’ll take our chances- just take your Puppets, your tanks, your smart weapons, your dumb politicians, your lies, your empty promises, your rapists, your sadistic torturers and go“.

No one, especially the likes of Democrat Senator Lieberman, at today’s Congressional hearing concerning atrocities against prisoners in Iraq, was able to ask themselves this obvious question, asked by an unidentified Iraqi in a short clip on the Daily Show for May 7–how would Americans feel if Iraqis were arresting people and torturing them in prison, in America?

Senator Lieberman, along with columnist Cal Thomas, “hasn’t heard anyone apologize for the 3,000 Americans killed in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, or an apology for the hundreds of Americans killed in liberating Iraq or an apology for the killing and desecration of four security persons in Fallujah”.

But wait a minute–where is all this happening? It’s happening in Iraq! The Iraqi people are resisting an occupation! Isn’t it a major failure of Rumsfeld and company their bad planning that predicted Iraqis would simply roll over and turn their country over to America? Of course I abhor the violence and of course I don’t want another life lost or another person tortured. But the obvious sentiment expressed by the Iraqi quoted above should be processed by Lieberman and other Bush loyalists before their indignation over the audacity of Iraqis to shoot back is used as an excuse for US behavior.

In the midst of daily rounds of new documentation concerning US atrocities against its detainees, I was glad to see a few Democrats finally show some backbone yesterday by issuing the call for the sacking of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld’s removal would be a symbolic and operationally powerful change that might communicate to the world that there was at least a shred of credibility in the word of the president.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Iowa Democratic Senator Tom Harkin both issued statements. Harkin said, “For the good of our country, the safety of our troops, and our image around the globe Secretary Rumsfeld should resign. If he does not resign forthwith, the president should fire him”.

Amen.

Bush responds with absurd platitudes
“Secretary Rumsfeld is a really good Secretary of Defense”, “Secretary Rumsfeld has served our nation well”, “Secretary Rumsfeld has been the secretary during two wars, and he is an important part of my Cabinet”, “He will stay in my Cabinet.”

The spinning, merry-go-round Whitehouse tale says Bush gave Rumsfeld a private wrist slapping because the secretary failed to inform the president about the torture allegations in a timely manner. That’s a joke. “I shouldave known about the pictures”, the president said.

“Now we’re gonna investigate it”.

I’m sorry, Mr. President, we are way, way, way beyond investigating.

He recognizes and is “sorry for the humiliation suffered by the Iraqi prisoners and the humiliation suffered by their families”. And he has said repeatedly that he thinks If that’s real, he should back the words up with these immediate deeds:

* Rumsfeld immediately should be sacked

* Abu Ghraib should be emptied and razed to demonstrate America is not really the new Saddam–the Saddam era should really be buried now.

* All US offensive operations in Iraq and worldwide should be halted unilaterally and the Iraqi resistance should be called upon publicly to respond in kind. This will save both American and Iraqi lives.

* All US detainee holding facilities worldwide should be emptied of everyone not convicted or charged (with evidence) of a crime. Those to be held over should be allowed a fair tribunal (as required by international law) and kept in facilities scrupulously in accord with the Geneva Convention and other applicable US and international law and regulations.

* A rapid timetable (6 months from today, at most) for total withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and concomitant installation of a non-self-interested international security force should be established.

But Bush is not man enough, not knowledgeable enough about government, and is not aware enough of what the words on the cue cards mean to lead the country through the political turmoil that could become very public along with these moves. But if he wants a true picture of a “Compassionate America” projected to the world, it is time for him to take action, not just emit vacuous platitudes.

Submerging Markets has an extensive, excellent, sickening piece on the barbarities committed against US detainees. Jim covers the gamut of the global system of US holding facilities, including its “other secret detention centers”, like Diego Garcia, where thousands are caged without due process under God-knows-what conditions.