A postcard from abroad
I’m on vacation out of the country. But seriously, people, these two paragraphs from this Associated Press article on the recent US Court of Appeals ruling upholding the Torture and Dungeons Act tells you everything you need to know about the US’s respect for the rule of law:
“The decision reaffirms the validity of the framework that Congress established in the MCA permitting Guantanamo detainees to challenge their detention” through military hearings coordinated by the Defense Department,”[sic] said spokesman Erik Ablin.
That’s right — under US law, if you are held overseas by the military, which operates under orders from the Defense Department, you can appeal the basis for your confinement to… the Defense Department. What could possibly go wrong with that system?
Under the commissions act, the government may indefinitely detain foreigners who have been designed as “enemy combatants” and authorizes the CIA to use aggressive but undefined interrogation tactics.
“Aggressive”, people. But we certainly don’t torture. That would be wrong. How can you tell we’re not lying to you right this very moment? Well, you can’t. Have a nice day.
Oh, and the Special Forces team will be by tonight to whisk you off to Guantanamo as your reward for asking questions. Let’s hear you whine about human rights after a few days shackled to the ceiling in a fourty-degree isolation cell.
Freaking pinkos.
Ugh.
Becky wrote:
As a regular reader of this blog, I wanted to respectfully ask you to please make a distinction between the U.S. government and the PEOPLE of the U.S. They are different. Which I know you know, but which doesn’t always come across in your blog. Saying that the “U.S.” has no respect for the rule of law is insulting to all of the people who do not agree with these policies, who DO have respect for the rule of law, and who feel suspect about the current administration (who 48% DID NOT even vote for)and their treatment of oh…EVERYTHING. There are many of us, and it is frustrating as an American to be constantly lumped in with the Bush Administration and their supporters regardless of one’s politics. Any American oversees is, like it or not, forced to be a representative for the entire country, and I can tell you, its exhausting. I respect your thoughts on most things, and I agree with your politics on almost everything, but I bristle a bit when you use “America” and “the U.S.” when really you’re talking about the current government. You did the same on the post about the Washington State gay rights issues when you said “Ain’t America grand”. Perhaps I’m being overly sensitive and I agree that there are a lot of crappy things about the government, and about some people here, but that’s all countries. There are also a lot of GOOD things and a lot of GOOD people and its a just a little demoralizing to feel like all anyone ever sees is the bad- especially a blog you read regularly and genuinely respect. I’m sorry to vent,and I certainly don’t mean ANY disrespect, but I just needed to get that off my chest. My best wishes always.
Posted on 21-Feb-07 at 1:53 pm | Permalink