Word Games and Outright Lies

President Bush said last week, "This government does not torture people." It is, of course, a lie.

Leaked documents show the Bush administration has secretly approved the use of slapping, shaking and water-boarding prisoners taken in the U.S. war on terrorism. Bush says these aren’t torture, but merely "harsh interrogation methods." So too the practices — now well documented — of making prisoners endure cold cells, sensory deprivation, long periods in stress positions and forced nudity.

Remember Jessica Lynch, the impish soldier whose rescue the Pentagon tried to portray as heroic? If the Iraqi Army had slapped, shaken and water-boarded her, forced her to stand naked in a painful position for hours and thrown her in a cold cell, Bush’s outrage would have been limitless. Yet that is the kind of treatment the U.S. government now inflicts on prisoners.

Having lied about the reason for the war and about the way it is being conducted, why would anyone now believe the Bush administration when it accuses yet another country — Iran — of trying to make nuclear weapons?

— Gregory Flannery
(Photo: Thewe.cc)

Comments

[David E. Gallaher]

Bush has been caught red-handed, yet he denies it! This is big, but most media give it about 10 seconds before moving on to the next topic.
Who ever thought far enough ahead to think that Cheney is Bush's insurance policy against being impeached?
What we need is a parliamentary system so we could have a vote of no confidence and the whole stinking administration could be tossed out.

[CincyRealityCheck]

Well, Clinton didn't have "sex" with "that woman," so this is just Bush's hair splitting version of Presidential misbehaving.

Hmmmmm....engaging in sexual activity or torturing people - I'll take the sex.

The reality of what torture does to the reputation of our country, the degradation of everyone involved (those under orders and those being hurt) and the fact that terrorism still hasn't been stopped makes sex a lot less disgusting.

[WestEnder]

How can you liberals keep attacking our President like this? Don't you know that Nordstrom's is building a new store in Kenwood? There will be big sales and lots of shopping!

[Caleb]

A columnist for the New York Times suggested that Bush and Alberto Gonzales undergo these interrogation measures personally, if they don't think they're torture. I kind of like that idea, but I would throw in Cheney too.

Aside from the moral grounds, which are important, torture just isn't effective. Intelligence experts say it rarely yields good information. The people in Washington need to be reminded that Jack Bauer and "24" are fiction, folks.

[me]

"It is, of course, a lie."

It is, of course, yet another lie from the lyingest president we've ever had. That son of a bitch lies worse than Nixon. He wouldn't know the truth if it bit him on the ass.

[steve adams]

This situation is a clear indication that "the truth is the enemy of the state". We are all headed for the NWO and nobody seems to give a shit...
We deserve this, but do our children? Nevermind they'll have to deal with economic and human holocaust that's on the way.I also predict bush will stage another 9-11 and stay in power well past 2008, while we deal with iran... Nwo is alive and ready to strike!

[David E. Gallaher]

Anyone reading this should see Frank Rich's column in the NYT today.
It's titled "The Good Germans."
The title ought to resonate here in Sinincincinnati, but it won't.