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Well, I've been tracking information on various cases of abuse in Abu Ghraib and other locations for a year now. We've since learned that the White House orchestrated a "torture memo" that redefined torture into very narrow terms in an attempt to isolate the administration from wrongdoing in the prisons in Afghanistan, Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, and elsewhere.
We've seen then-Attorney General John Ashcroft stammer and evade questions from the United States Senate and fail to provide the Senate Investigative Committee with the paperwork and justification requested.
We've seen the results of the administration's plans to torture prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. The information obtained has been questionable and the outcry from Iraqis and others around the world is evident partly in the fierceness of the resistance in Iraq and in the fear and doubts in the hearts and minds of average Iraqis who now despise the occupying forces and the puppet government that was put into place (and still largely exists.)
We've seen this administration criticize other countries, including Iraq, for committing abuses toward prisoners but yet this administration still denies any involvement in the widespread torture going on under its own direction.
We've also learned more detail of the process known as rendition wherein prisoners are sent to other countries to be tortured and abuse, thereby, presumably, removing them from any culpability.
When this administration came into power it was under the guise of restoring honor and integrity to the White House in the wake of the Clinton adminstration (and the near-impeachment of Clinton). What we've seen, however, is the complete opposite of that promise. This administration has waged a war on the truth and all but destroyed the integrity of the office of the President of the United States of America.
Our media has also been complicit in all of this by failing to be critical of the administration and its policies. Instead, it has cowered in fear of being kicked out of the White House press corps. Well, unless you're a gay prostitute that writes for ethereal news sites. But, we can't fully blame the reporters. They're only doing what they're allowed to do under the conservative ownership of the media companies. And that ownership is becoming less and less in number due to media conglomeration.
What can we expect for the next year? Well, imo, we're seeing signs of spines growing in members of the House and Senate, particularly a few key Democrats but even some moderate Republicans. We're also seeing the effect the internet can have on news via the blogosphere and online fora such as this one.
It's my sincere hope that this administration finally comes clean with the American people and the world and admits it's failures and it's dishonesty. But, I'm also a realist so I won't be holding my breath. I fear impeachment may be nigh, esp. if the Democrats regain control of the House and/or Senate in 2006. Will that fix things in this country? Doubtful. It would likely cause more instability in our already fragile economy but it would bring the criminals to justice.
We can only hope.
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