The Neocons who have spent all their time and effort trying to nullify the Geneva Convention and subsequent attempts to "civilize" (if that's possible and even the right word) treatment of prisoners of war and other combat-zone unfortunates need to read this and reflect on what it means in the context of Abu Ghraib, it's what happens when Leadership goes off the "reservation" so to speak...although as thick as they are, I'm guessing they'd miss the lesson.
The infamous "Bullet Decree" was signed not by Hitler or Himmler or even Goering, but by an SS General in Aachen, somewhat removed from the center of government. The accountability for it was of course rightly placed with the Nazi High Command, and they (at least those Nazi Leader who did not commit suicide) were ultimately charged with the War Crimes of executing the 76 prisoners who should have been returned to a POW camp after doing their duty and escaping. According to the "Bullet Decree", escapees were to be sent here.
Accountability for the Abu Ghraib atrocities does not just lie with the few low-ranking guards who are caught on film doing their unspeakable deeds. Like the "Bullet Decree", the orders to act had to originate far, far up the chain of command, the visible actors are, as in March of 1944, not the most responsible. The question becomes when does the only governmental body that can hold those folks responsible and accountable begin to do their jobs...
Remember, a semen-stained blue dress triggered years and millions of dollars of investigation into the honor of the Office of the President; is our word of Honor as signatories to the Geneva Convention not worth the same thing? Ultimately it will be every captured Soldier, Sailor, Airman and Marine who will pay for the Neocon indifference to the Convention...and the next "Bullet Decree". I guess "Rule of Law" only applies when you make the Rules and hire the "right" judges to interpret the "Law".
posted by Jo Fish on 05.17.04 at 01:27 AM
Comments:
Bush Jr.'s November campaign mantra on the issue of Iraq goes somewhat as follows:
"MISTAKES WERE MADE. MORE MISTAKES ARE BEING MADE NOW. EVEN MORE MISTAKES MAY BE MADE BEFORE IT'S OVER. JOHN KERRY FLIP-FLOPS. BUT PRESIDENT BUSH IS STEADFAST AND CONSISTANT. VOTERS, YOU MAY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE IN 2000, BUT YOU TOO CAN BE STEADFAST AND CONSISTENT: MAKE ANOTHER MISTAKE! ELECT BUSH THIS NOVEMBER. WE SHARE SOMETHING THAT KERRY DOES NOT. WE BROKE IT; WE CAN FIX IT, TOGETHER."
posted by: Shag from Brookline on 05.17.04 at 07:03 AM [permalink]
Most of the voters got it right in 2000. Crimes at the ballot box in Florida and corrupt justices on the Supreme Court nullified the will of the voters.
posted by: dean on 05.17.04 at 09:00 AM [permalink]
I have a list of questions to ask and harry congresscritters with up on my site. One of them is, "What are *you* doing to guarantee a fair and honest election this year?"
Not to brag, but my district is represented by Rush Holt, sponsor of the bill to require a paper trail for electronic voting machines. Send Rush a letter to encourage his efforts. Send your representative a letter to let them know you want that paper trail.
Oh, and if you send a letter to Rush, mention that Dean (that's my first name and I won't publish my last since I got freeped in email) sent you. I write to his office fairly regularly. They might recognize who it is. (No, I don't write often enough or crazy enough for them to think I'm a kook. I think I've written four times this year. And I am a member of the local Dem organization, so he can meet me next time he comes around to speak and see I am not a nut. I just wear the tinfoil hat so space aliens can't read my mind.)
posted by: dean on 05.17.04 at 12:44 PM [permalink]
Good idea! It sounds like CA isn't going to go with e-voting this year, either.
(I'm expecting to get freeped at some point like Kathryn Cramer. I have posted my preemptive "Troll Cave" policy as a warning - this is what I did back the second time I got Fandom Wanked (same thing, only idiot fans with nothing to do but form jeering mobs - no politics involved, just Clockwork Orange mindlessness) and it seems to work.
I won't delete posts/hate mail, I *frame* them in their own special section so that readers can jeer back. Eventually Kathryn C did something of the sort - they really, *really* hate it. It's like the Right Stuff guys watching the shrinks and taking notes on them - or have you ever stood on the other side of a fence and barked back at a savage dog? It's very funny. With FW I had a thread of about 1000 posts all screaming about what a horrible mean nasty person I was, who needed to get a life [sic] instead of attacking poor little helpless them. They couldn't stay away from seeing what I said about them. If they can't take the heat, Little Green Footballs should stay out of kitchens...)
I might add that it is as important, maybe more, to write to your representative if he/she is a Republican and tell them to support this bill. The franchise is the basis of our republic. Once that is tampered with, we no longer have a republic and we can kiss all the other rights good-bye. Then the only way to get it back will be to take to the hills with the Winchester. That's not how I want to spend my next several decades. We have to be ever-vigilant to defend out liberty and it's not the guys from over there that threaten it, but the ones from here.
Let 'em know you care. I actually feel cheated because I have such a good representative and such good Senators, mostly I just write to them and say "Way to go."
posted by: dean on 05.17.04 at 02:21 PM [permalink]
I know how that is Dean, I did grow up in Carl Levin's District. A neighbor kid became on of his aides.
Now I live in Dick Lugar and Evan Bayh's area. A whole new ball game here. Disagree with Lugar and he will send you a two page letter about why you should agree with him.
Lincoln-Lambert, Marion Berry, Mark Pryor are the three I contact. Minus the Repug staffer (ask names at phone calls and for replies via email or letter) who put me on the wrong list I have gotten some good replies, mostly of the form letter variety however.
Plan on asking each to voice concern over a Bush family member who was part of Riggs Bank with noted ties to Saudi bankrolls including a royal family member, the underwrote terror efforts including a direct link to 9-11.
Maybe enough people will see how bad they are if our reps voice concerns over their entangled finance matters.
posted by: Mr.Murder on 05.17.04 at 09:35 PM [permalink]
