Very apt description of the cruelty.
The administration won't think (or care) about the bigger picture and the possible (no, the highly probable, if not certain) long-term ramifications. All they think and care about is November '04. So they'll try and ride this out until the immediate reaction dies down, in the hope that the American public is soon distracted by shark attacks or child kidnappings or some other hyped-up threat (anything but the real danger in which they have placed so many American lives).
If Rumsfeld had any sense of honour, he would resign. But then, if Rumsfeld had any sense of honour, he wouldn't be Rumsfeld.
Spot on, I just wish there was a real mobilizing force here that could do such a thing. Anyone in the LA area know about any interested organizations?
but they still believe: "Americans are different, and in America, it's better."
Why are these propositions linked? Only in the minds of Americans is their virtue self-evident. At this time some humility would be appropriate (and from me, a Briton). Imagine subtracting Hollywood's contribution from America's image abroad and what are you left with?
Isn't it about time to see American exceptionalism as an abiding problem, that gets you into these situations? You seem so excited to be Americans and that's so close to imagining you are, severally, virtuous and superior no matter what you do. I picture an American flag in Lynndie England's window at home.
Chris Rock makes a point adjacent to mine in his latest special, about post 9/11 'patriotism':
"Ahm an Amurkan, ahm an Amurkan, fuck the illegal immigrants ... and you know the niggers and the jews is next."
Why are these propositions linked? Only in the minds of Americans is their virtue self-evident.
The propositions are linked, as a matter of fact, in the minds of many people outside the US. And my point was that it's Americans who are failing to see the massive importance of their dimunition in the eyes of the world. (Note: I'm an American citizen, but not native born.)
It's an interesting question, given the exceptionalism that's so common here, why, in this case, it's being forgotten. Trumped by self-absorption, perhaps.
From Riverbend :
I don't understand the 'shock' Americans claim to feel at the lurid pictures. You've seen the troops break down doors and terrify women and children… curse, scream, push, pull and throw people to the ground with a boot over their head. You've seen troops shoot civilians in cold blood. You've seen them bomb cities and towns. You've seen them burn cars and humans using tanks and helicopters. Is this latest debacle so very shocking or appalling?
Now that the world knows that the torture has been going on since the very beginning, do people finally understand what happened in Falloojeh?
Yabartleby.
Re: the paragraph you quote asking why Americans are shocked.
Of course I speak for myself, but as one of the shocked Americans who was well aware of everything quoted, I'll do my best to explain. Although aware of the ignomious actions of soldiers in combat, we do assume that these assholes are checked once they within the institution and oversight of the military. So, although murderers of the helpless and innocent on the field they may be, my assunption has been that there was control in the elements where the military hierarchy could more effectively oversee actions. Now my naivety has been exposed.