John McCain v. Bush

[struggle4progress]

by Nat Hentoff
October 14th, 2005 5:53 PM









For 17 months, I tried to determine what specific standards governed the treatment of detainees by consulting my chain of command. . . . I have been unable to get clear, consistent answers from my leadership about what constitutes lawful and humane treatment of detainees. I am certain that this confusion contributed to a wide range of abuses including death threats, beatings, broken bones, murder . . . and degrading treatment. I and troops under my command wit nessed some of these abuses in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
-26-year-old U.S. Army Captain Ian Fishback in a September 16 letter to Senator John McCain

ll the evidence suggests a low rate of detainee mistreatment, one that compares favorably with U.S. civilian prisons, never mind that of other and earlier militaries . . . The suggestion some kind of whitewash only reveals the remaining accusers for the crackpots they are.
-The Wall Street Journal , editorial board (by Robert L. Pollock), October 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On October 5, 90 "crackpots" in the United States Senate—46 Republicans, 43 Democrats, and one Independent—passed Republican John McCain's amendment to the $440 billion Defense Appropriations bill that would prohibit the use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading" punishment of anyone being held in custody by the U.S. government—including detainees—using the Army Field Manual on Intelligence Interrogation as the standard. <snip>

In his September 16 letter to John McCain, which may someday be included in an anthology of landmark acts of patriotism, Captain Fishback wrote—and somebody should show this to the commander in chief, who doesn't read newspapers—"Overcoming the fear posed by terrorist threats is a tremendous test of our courage. Will we confront danger and adversity in order to preserve our ideals, or will our courage and commitment to individual rights wither at the prospect of sacrifice? My response is simple. If we abandon our ideals in the face of adversity and aggression, then those ideals were never really in our possession." (Emphasis added.) <snip>

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0542,hentoff,68920,6.html

[Metta]

1. Good stuff. Thanks.

I'm sure Tom Paine had something to say about this.

[struggle4progress]

3. "All the monarchical governments are military. War is their trade, ..

.. plunder and revenue their objects. While such governments continue, peace has not the absolute security of a day. What is the history of all monarchical governments but a disgustful picture of human wretchedness, and the accidental respite of a few years' repose? Wearied with war, and tired with human butchery, they sat down to rest, and called it peace."

[Metta]

4. Very accurate perspective.

Great post. Thanks.

[struggle4progress]

5. Old Thomas Paine could really say it! eom

[Metta]

6. Yeah, he had it *going on.* nt.

[henslee]

2. This feels important. I am going to bookmark and read in its entirety.

[pacalo]

7. I'm totally in awe of Ian Fishback's integrity & courage.

I'm with Fishback: I want the true America back. This is not our country.