This prison junk in Iraq is really bothersome to me. First, I can’t believe there is a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. military who would attempt to use the excuse that he’d never gotten any specific training in handling prisoners of war. EVERY soldier gets that in basic training, and as a SSG he would have gotten it again in two separate leadership training classes over the years. To pretend that he didn’t realize that beating and humiliating naked prisoners was wrong beggars the imagination.
The entire thing makes me so mad. I want those soldiers court martialed, I want their commander thrown in prison, I want a huge apology to the PWs for their maltreatment. And it’s not that I think those prisoners are good guys, but they are HUMAN and the U.S. military is supposed to be a beacon of honor and dependability. Those men and women don’t deserve to be put in the same category as their compatriots.
And then, there’s the “thanks for helping” part. The soldiers and marines in Iraq have a hard enough job (whether it’s a job they should be doing is moot – they don’t get to choose the missions they only carry them out), now they’ve got to deal with the encouragement these assholes have given to the insurgents. The al Sadr nutcases didn’t need a justification to be violent, but now they have a great one.
According to the Guardian, the Abu Ghraib prison story is even stranger than first thought. Although the photos we’ve seen so far only show GIs, Titan and CACI (two defense contractors) are apparently involved up to their necks.
One civilian contractor was accused of raping a young male prisoner but has not been charged because military law has no jurisdiction over him.
Bush and Cheney answer all questions
My favorite quote about the secret, not transcribed, unrecorded, closed-door session:
Bush said it was important for him and Cheney to appear together so that commission members could “see our body language… how we work together.”
I believe “body language” in this case is Dick pulling Dubya’s strings to make him talk, but I could be wrong.
Sorry, my leet-speek is rusty.
I stayed home today to knock out a paper for the easy class which I’ve avoided working on since the first day of the semester, even though the requirements were provided in the syllabus and it’s due on Sunday (run on sentence much?). So, I work on it, and it’s even easier than I thought it would be, and done after about 4 hours of half-assed work. I am the king of pulling it out of my ass.
If you weren’t sure about the sheer chutzpah (or arrogance depending on your affiliation) of our current President, check out this clip from the Letterman show. He uses a producer’s sweater as a cleaning rag for his spectacles!
Last Edit: 28 Apr 2004 @ 08:39 AM
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According to the Associated Press, among the weaponry currently arrayed around Fallujah is an AC-130 gunship.
bq. The side-firing weapons array consists of one 25mm GAU-12 Gatling gun (firing 1,800 rounds per minute), one 40mm L60 Bofors cannon (with a selectable firing rate of single shot or 120 rounds per minute) and one 105mm M-102 Howitzer cannon (firing 6 to 10 rounds per minute).
Yeah, don’t you think that may be overkill?
Apparently these are two spiders in Iraq. Yet another reason to not go there. Damn.
Mess With Texas – it’s fun.
Poppy Brite’s age is only a couple years greater than mine. Ten years ago, she was a big star in publishing. Now, she has a new book out and is still a big star in publishing (maybe a slightly smaller one). I, on the other hand, have no degree and a soulsucking job.
*sigh*
Michigan Preparing to Let Doctors Refuse to Treat Gays
The bill allows health care workers to refuse service to anyone on moral, ethical or religious grounds.
Wouldn’t refusing to treat anyone be against the basic tenet of medical ethics? Just sayin’.
Last Edit: 21 Apr 2004 @ 10:34 PM
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Dilbert predicts the next step in reality TV.
Last Edit: 18 Apr 2004 @ 10:01 PM
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I don’t know if we’re using area code 256 yet, but if we are, whoever has 256 -963-2229 has a very entertaining way of keeping track of that phone number. hehe
Last Edit: 17 Apr 2004 @ 10:33 PM
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Here’s a quick summary of where your family’s taxes go. What’s impressive is that $4690 per household more is spent than is taken in. So, if you have one child, add that to his tax burden as he ages.
This is also the most federal spending per household since WW2. It’s a good thing we have those conservative Republicans in power, keeping government small, isn’t it?
Because Lysa did it and Aaron did it, I have to go along I suppose.
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From the inimitable TDJ, we have this wonderful news item: Performers Whip Easter Bunny At Church Play.
This whole Passion Play revival is getting a little too surreal.
Watch Condoleeza Rice tapdance! Hear the amazingly convoluted double-speak! See the commissioners smirk! Ah, the joys of a public circus.
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