In Abu Ghraib, a wake-up call: Our own democracy is in danger

[kalian]

http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1083930912156830.xml

G od," says the proverb, "looks after fools, drunkards and the United States of America." Seldom in our lifetimes has our country seemed to need help from a higher power as much as it did last week.

As our national leaders lurch through the collapse of our intervention in Iraq, we have been rocked as a nation by the news that American military personnel and "contractors" at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq have been engaged in grotesque and criminal abuse of Iraqi detainees in their custody.

The moral basis of our intervention in Iraq is in ruins: We found no weapons of mass destruction; we found no Iraqi ties to international terror; and the freedom and democracy we promised the Iraqi people are called into question by tactics of torture and abuse worthy of the Baathist regime we displaced. It is difficult to find even a spark of hope in the deepening gloom.

Yet in the midst of the darkness, it is possible that what Abraham Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature" have intervened to show us the difficult way out of this national disaster. The hideous news from Abu Ghraib, by a coincidence that would seem ridiculous in a work of fiction, burst upon the nation at a crucial time.

...more...

One VERY scary editorial.

[stopbush]

1. Hmm. Looks like someone in Oregon was reading through DU posts

from a year ago.

[stellanoir]

2. the reality of what has transpired is

far scarier than this very truthful editorial.

thanks for posting

[MSgt213]

3. Everybody wake up this what happens when we tolerate government lying to

us and giving them the authority to operate outside the law. Have we forgot Nixon and Iran-Contra. These people have blank checks to spend our money and troops with no oversight from the people. We are getting just what we deserve. You have laws to punish people who break them, but if you have absolutely no way to of knowing what laws are being broken and who's breaking them until there is an international incident which shames the fuck out of you.

[2Design]

4. terrific editorial .....take action on amnesty site open letter to bush

Take action on story at http://www.amnestyusa.org/

open letter to bush from amnesty
usa admin has received many reports over the last two years.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=77EC1B8868C9828F80256E8D0041F7B5
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=B04794EDFE431D1885256E8D0051A241

[Karenina]

6. Thank you for your dedication

and persistance, 28erl. :hug: :loveya: :toast: WE WIN! (whatever the hell THAT means in this Fellini on bad acid trip! ;-) )

[readmylips]

5. Our wakeup call was back when Prez Clinton announced...

he was running for President. The republican unleashed a relentless personal torture against him and never let up for the eight years, Prez Clinton was in office. The republicans wanted power even if it meant a coupe d'etat againt the president of the United States. The world was shocked at the abuses against President Clinton. The republicans didn't give a shit about the shame and disgrace they were inflicting on the United States. What mattered only, was their personal righteousness and grab of power at any cost.

'What about the children?' they cried. Where is their righteousness now? What about the children of the world, you nasty bastard republicans.

[bolokshi]

7. Would not agree more

These asshole did every thing in their power to discredit someone with an impeccable record. So why should the Democrats stop now, this is the problem, Democrats always seem to give the upper hand to the republicans, they can do whatever the fuck they want while Democrats are focus on shooting each other. This is going to be a major problem, unless democrats can stop this jockeying for power and focus on real issues then we will have a huge chance if not....(deep sigh) we all know what will happen in the end.

[LibertyorDeath]

8. Kick