I'm talking to you Birthers, Deathers, Teabaggers, conservatives, republicans, moderates, independents, blue doghograts and DINO's. What are you really mad about? h/t pamslistserve via MagginKat via ZJ via a British friend in email
WHY ARE THEY REALLY MAD??????
You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and Appointed a President.
You didn't get mad when VP Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy Policy.
You didn't get mad when a covert CIA Operative was revealed.
You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act was passed.
You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a Country looking for WMD'S(Weapons of Mass Destruction).
You didn't get mad when we spent over 600 Billion dollars(and counting) on Iraq War.
You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq.
You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans at home and work.
You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.
You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible Conditions at Walter Reed.
You didn't get mad when we let New Orleans drown.
You didn't get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark.
You finally got mad when---- The government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.
Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all ok with you, but helping other Americans that is another story.
Seven presidents have tried to pass a Health Care Plan of some sort and have failed. None have had the "hate filled" opposition of this president.
It's become more or less common knowledge that US forces have been using music as an operational tool for some time now, and I've begun seeing lists of the songs that are being used either to inflict pain, to demoralize, or to just generally disorient various people in various sorts of situations.
There are others, wiser than I, who will opine as to the questions of efficacy and the moral issues surrounding these kinds of operations; I will opine, instead, as to the quality of the songs used.
Frankly, had anyone asked, I could have put the torturers onto much better musical choices, just by selecting from my own "My Music" folder--which left me thinking: "hey, it's the weekend...why not do exactly that?"
Got any psychological warfare mission planned for the weekend? Expecting to have to direct amplified sound at an angry mob in a defensive maneuver Saturday night? Planning a Halloween haunted house that goes a bit...fuurther?
Come along with me then, soldier, and I'll provide you a playlist that should do the trick in almost any foreseeable emergency.
With a hat tip to Redeye,I'm making this a separate post 'cause there was just too much rolling around in my head about this phony ACORN thing. Anyway, here goes.
"Everything old is new again" so the saying goes. And, it seems that those opposed to change are pulling out the old names for these new (?) times. Some of us are old enough to remember the names that those involved with the Civil Rights movement were called. Think for a minute. Remember now? Communist, Socialist, N-lover, race traitor, etc. So here we are again.
Anyway, what follows are some interesting bits that address this phony outrage over ACORN. ACORN stands for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. (I'm guessing that the "community organizations' part is why the Right chose to use this particular group's activities to help them bash Mr. Obama.) However, I invited you to read about their history - http://www.acorn.org/index.php... - and what they do, just to be sure of why you may like them or not (form your own opinion :) Never forget that ACORN works hard to empower the poor and minorities; among their many facets is voter registration. Many of those whom they register wind up voting for Democrats. Don't forget that the fake "pimp and prostitute" went to several ACORN offices before getting a bite for their 'film.' Which would mean more offices than not were operating according to standard. They finally get one bite for their scheme, and Congress votes to 'defund.' However, as Jeremy Scahill and Rachel Maddow point out, there may be a constitutional issue that hangs up that effort. Click here to understand 'bill of attainder," - http://www.techlawjournal.com/... - but Rachel explains it better in her piece about ACORN from last week. Also, ACORN is suing, because hidden cameras are illegal in Maryland. Click here to read about the conservative strategy of "defunding the left."
http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind...
In 2007, MoveOn.org was chastised for their advertisement which took issue with General Petraeus' assessment of the Iraq war 'Surge.' Click here for more information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M...
Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh devise all manner of evil talk and nefarious political rallies, and Glen gets the cover of Time magazine and a Katie Couric interview on the CBS Evening News; Rush gets interviewed by Jay Leno. Corporate media and its conservative operators strike again.
(Roger Aileshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R... Jeff Ballabon http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/ne... Jeff Ballabon http://mediamatters.org/blog/2... )
Progressives/Liberals/Democrats are still getting pounded because the national conversation is still being framed by the Right (re-reference corporate media links above). WE HAVE GOT TO CHANGE THAT. The push-back examples in the pieces that follow are good ways to start.
There is great information in both video pieces; you may want to take notes for snappy factual comebacks at the water cooler - or you can just print out Mr. Scahill's article :) Just remember - this is not about ACORN. It is a political strategy and a devious means to an end. http://www.sourcewatch.org/ind...
My mind, as usual, is a jumble of ideas, points of view, and angles concerning the debate about torture, or rather the investigation thereof. After a weekend of listening to Catholic and other Christian pundits criticize the late Ted Kennedy for his abortion views, I decided to see what the Church thinks of torture.
According to a memo from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, signed by the president of the National Council of Bishops and multiple other Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders :
“Torture violates the basic dignity of the human person that all religions hold dear. It degrades everyone involved – policy-makers, perpetrators and victims. It contradicts our nation's most cherished ideals. Any policies that permit torture and inhumane treatment are shocking and morally intolerable.
“Nothing less is at stake in the torture abuse crisis than the soul of our nation. What does it signify if torture is condemned in word but allowed in deed? Let America abolish torture now – without exceptions,”
Yesterday I made a snide comment about the Mobile, AL Teabaggers against healthcare protestors being stuck on stoopid. But are they really stuck on stoopid, or are they doing what we should be doing and to quote countrycat "organzing the cleanup"?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have to give the goppers credit where credit is due when it comes to organizing and taking a stand on principle, even if it's a misguided principle. They aren't afraid to "take it to the streets".
About 100 protesters from the Tea Party Patriots are outside Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack's office in Palm Springs waving signs and flags, and presenting her with pink slips that say "You're fired."
Look at the recent protest in Iran in the aftermath of the disputed aftermath of the Presidential election. Remember the Orange Revolution after the disputed Ukranian elections? Compare what happened after these elections to what didn't happen after the 2000 American Presidential election.
On election night, it became clear that Florida would be a contentious state. The national television networks (through information provided them by the Voter News Service, an organization formed by them and the Associated Press to help determine the outcome of the election through early result tallies and exit polling) first called Florida for Gore in the hour after polls closed in the eastern peninsula but before they closed in the heavily Republican counties of the western panhandle.
The North Alabama Peace Activist Network (NAPN)holds a Peace Rally every Saturday at 10 AM, at the intersection of Airport Road and Whitesburg Drive in Huntsville as they have been doing every since before the invasion of Iraq. Are they stuck on stoopid, or are they committed to their cause and willing to organize around that cause? I say they are the later. It is also an opportunity for other's committed to peace, economic and social justice, healthcare reform, GLGT rights, closing Gitmo and ending torture in our name to join them. They have organized the cleanup.
Does NAPN get media coverage like the Teabaggers do? No. But I'll bet if there was a large sign waving, diverse crowd of marching chanting protestors on the corner of Whitesburg Dr. and Airport Road the media would cover it, but more importantly our elected officials would notice too.
"When all the fingers on the hand work together it forms a mighty fist".~Mama Jo from the movie Soul Food.
(I cannot think of anything more important for us to be thinking about, and fake consultant has done us a huge service with this series. It's long, but worth your time. - promoted by piggieheart)
When last we met, Gentle Reader, it was to work through a series of legal precedents and statute law; the goal of the exercise being to determine if we could or could not define waterboarding as torture.
We have the kind assistance of Professor Jeffrey Addicott, who has provided us with his written testimony from his recent appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a personal interview, where he walked me through some of his thinking on the matter.
Today we’re going to take a look at the precedent that he has used to reach the conclusion that waterboarding is not torture.
It’s also possible that the analysis may result in the discovery of a bit of common ground…but as I noted in Part One, it’s common ground that neither one of us might have seen coming.
I cannot believe I am the only one who is sick to death of the GOP and its apologists in the main stream media delivering the message , "Pay no attention to the torture behind the curtain; crucify Nancy Pelosi!"
I am not about to defend Pelosi. You would be hard-pressed to find anything I have ever said or written that was complimentary to her. There are many Democrats in the House I would rather have seen ascend to the Speaker's chair. But, having said all that, it still makes no sense to be analyzing her words and actions under a figurative microscope, while ignoring the only burning question about this matter, which is "Who ordered, approved and carried out illegal torture and other war crimes in the name of this great nation."
But it isn't an original thought. One imagines it was spoken by Pope Junius when he initiated the Papal Inquisition; by Ferdinand and Isabella, when they followed up with the (much more popular) Spanish Inquisition. Pol Pot never expressed regrets, nor did Caligula, to my knowledge. Genghis Khan, Stalin, Idi Amin, Tojo, and Hitler saw nothing wrong with torture.
Way to go, Dick. You have placed my country on the same level as the historical pariahs mentioned above. You scum!
Now, if some see that as an ad hominem attack, I can't help that. It is an attack on a policy and an attitude that was clearly illegal. This man is still - as his approval raiting hovers around 18%- defending actions that, whan done by the Japanese in WWII, resulted in trials, convictions and executions. Executions by the United States - the same United States that committed the same atrocities during his time in power. Even if we assume that Bush was a finger puppet who did what he was told, that still leaves Rumsfeld, Gonzalez, Rice and the authors of the torture memos who were guilty of what we executed Japanese soldiers for. Oh yes, and Cheney. Musn't forget Cheney
So last week, in the midst of everything going on in the country and world, Newsweek had Star Trek as its cover story. Hey, I understand the marketing aspect of it. I spent my Jr. High school years surrounded by books and paraphernalia, including the Star Trek Technical Manual. I even taped the audio of episodes on my cassette tape player (this was long before VCRs).
I hope Newsweek sold a boatload of their May 4 issue, and that every person who bought a copy took the time to read these two articles:
I recommend the first article because this agent is a hero. A law enforcement professional dedicated to the rule of law and the US Constitution. He's a role model for every citizen.
The second is an essay by Sharon Begley and, I think, contains some valuable information for us going into the 2010 elections. Mooncat's already discussed Artur Davis' call to make the case for Democrats. And we've engaged in a spirited discussion here at LIA about how much to compromise when our Democratic candidates leave much to be desired.
When making the case, it's important for us to understand the viewpoint of the people we're talking with (even if we don't agree with it!), and Begley's discussion of altruism has some excellent insight:
People who are emotionally secure, who view life's problems as manageable and who feel safe and protected tend to show the greatest empathy for strangers and to act altruistically and compassionately. In contrast, people who are anxious about their own worth and competence, who avoid close relationships or are clingy in those they have tend to be less altruistic and less generous,...
Hmmm... let's think about some issues where the debate seems to be driven by fear of outsiders (immigration, torture, etc.) and economic uncertainity (taxes, bailouts, pensions, even disdain for PACT families).
Any parent knows that your child doesn't stop being afraid of the monster under the bed just because you say it isn't real.
What's our strategy for talking to people who often seem to react out of fear and anger? Spouting facts and statistics won't cut it. We know. We've tried and failed many times.
Robert K. Gordon writing for the Birmingham News*, emphasis mine:
Sessions spoke at the 11th Circuit Judicial Conference at Ross Bridge, touching on a number of issues, including President Obama's budget and waterboarding.
Sessions was spirited when the topic turned to waterboarding. Obama has banned the practice, calling it torture. The premise that the U.S. military regularly engaged in the practice was erroneous, Sessions said. He said there were only three instances of waterboarding, and they were performed by CIA agents.
"We didn't have a military out there torturing willy-nilly," he said. "I think you should know that we weren't out there out of control. The CIA and our military performed with the highest integrity. A lack of intelligence costs lives. I think they did a good job and I don't apologize for it."
Only three instances? Depends on the definition of instance, maybe? Because these two individuals were waterboarded 266 times. Way more than three.
According to the May 30, 2005 Bradbury memo, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded 183 times in March 2003 and Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in August 2002.
I can certainly see why Sessions would prefer to sugar coat this topic. "Three instances" sounds so much better than "we waterboarded one man 183 times in a month."
Torture is always wrong and it's illegal. Jeff Sessions doesn't get that.
* Hat tip to Jeff (not Sessions) for sending this link.
It's all about torture. Every channel, every hour, every pundit and commentator - talking about waterboarding, sleep deprivation, forced standing, insect and rodent infestation...
This may not be a really coherent rant, but try to stay with me here. John McCain was tortured, at least he says he was and I have no reason to doubt him. He became a lying weasel later in his life (unless you ask his first wife). So why is he defending the people who tortured in our name? Why does he think investigating further would be just political reprisals against an administration we don't like anymore?
Dick Cheney's motives are clear - he really doesn't want to go to prison, where he obviously belongs. Likewise KKKarl Rove, Mukasey, Rumsfeldt and the rest. So, let's set aside for the moment all the goppers who are trying to protect themselves from prosecurion. Let's try to understand the others: the "news analysts" and pundits who are sharing their what-passes-for-wisdom on every tee vee channel. Here is the refrain I am hearing the most "I have to see the rest of the classified memos - need to know how much good stuff we got from the torture - before I can decide whether torture was a crime or not:".WTF is that?
Well, Richard Shelby knew. In his role as ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Shelby was briefed on these "new" interrogation methods back in 2002.
It won’t be just the Bushies that look bad. The New York Times fronts word today that of all the people briefed on the methods—top CIA officials, White House aides and senior members of the House and Senate Intelligence committees—nobody questioned the origins of the tactics they were debating. The key mention there: Congress. While the CIA did not brief the full membership of the Congressional Intel committees, they did brief the four top members at the time: Nancy Pelosi, Porter Goss, Bob Graham and Richard Shelby.
According to several former top officials involved in the discussions seven years ago, they did not know that the military training program, called SERE, for Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, had been created decades earlier to give American pilots and soldiers a sample of the torture methods used by Communists in the Korean War, methods that had wrung false confessions from Americans.
...
The top officials he briefed did not learn that waterboarding had been prosecuted by the United States in war-crimes trials after World War II and was a well-documented favorite of despotic governments since the Spanish Inquisition; one waterboard used under Pol Pot was even on display at the genocide museum in Cambodia.
They did not know that some veteran trainers from the SERE program itself had warned in internal memorandums that, morality aside, the methods were ineffective. Nor were most of the officials aware that the former military psychologist who played a central role in persuading CIA officials to use the harsh methods had never conducted a real interrogation, or that the Justice Department lawyer most responsible for declaring the methods legal had idiosyncratic ideas that even the Bush Justice Department would later renounce.
The process was "a perfect storm of ignorance and enthusiasm," a former CIA official said.
These were clearly illegal interrogation methods that had been used to extract false, propaganda confessions from Americans service members in Korea. They were ineffective in gathering accurate information from prisoners. These people allowed America to be lowered to the level of the Communist Chinese in Korea, Pol Pot in Cambodia and the Spanish Inquisitors -- for no good reason at all!
Why am I not surprised that Richard Shelby raised no objection?
Via Media Matters, Andrew Sullivan has the transcript of a remarkable exchange that took place on Limbaugh's show recently. A veteran takes Limbaugh to task for supporting torture and for being part of the reason that Obama won.
You have to ask... how did this guy get through the call screeners? Just be glad they slipped up.
The entire exchange is on the flip, but here's the beginning:
CALLER: Thanks, Rush. Rush, listen, I voted Republican, and I didn't -- really didn't want to see Obama get in office. But, you know, Rush, you're one reason to blame for this election, for the Republicans losing.
First of all, you kept harping about voting for Hillary. The second big issue is the -- was the torture issue. I'm a veteran. We're not supposed to be torturing these people. This is not Nazi Germany, Red China, or North Korea. There's other ways of interrogating people, and you kept harping about it -- "It's OK," or "It's not really torture." And it was just more than waterboarding. Some of these prisoners were killed under torture.
While the press continues to try to link Obama or anyone on his staff to illegal actions with Blagojevich, the legal aspect of this case is the second phase.
Obama's Team have completed the internal investigation of who has been talking to whom at the governor's office. Per request of US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the report will be release next week.
We don't know who has done what in regards to Blagojevich. Obviously, Blagojevich feels confident that he can beat these allegations because he has not been officially charged with anything. So far, all we have is a criminal complaint with Blagojevich talking, not acting, but talking. Then we have Jesse Jackson, Jr. who is now a known informant and have been talking to the US Attorney's Office for at least two years about corruption.
This is courtesy of Aunt Jemima's Revenge. Old news, but smilin', clean David Shuster, he of pimpin' Chelsea fame, becomes host of the newest iteration of TV journalism shift into Ringling Bros. As you know, David Gregory's now the mayor of Meet The Press. Empty chair vacated by one toon means opportunity for an increasingly stupid set of network masters to pander to an increasingly stupid public and fill the seat with...you guessed it...another toon. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is MSNBC's "hard hitting, analytical news program" covering the White House. Of course there are folks like bloffer Paul Levinson who think it's peachy. Really? Here are your choices. The cliche of network news, the Dancing With the Stars/reality TV sensibilities of CNN/Headline News and MSNBC, and the wingnut drool of Fox. NPR and PBS you ask? Recall, NPR is cancelling shows and laying-off real journalists.
And she needs to stay the hell away from the NFL. Spending 4 years hiding behind a curtain then 4 years in the spotlight as the relief pitcher in the bullshit World Series [starting rotation: Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, Tenet and Bush - Powell lost for the season] does not mean you deserve a job in the NFL. I'm a bigger NFL fan than her and I don't deserve it either. It's great that she is a refined and cultured black woman and the fact that she achieved this position is a symbol of progress in Equality. It would be more commendable if she weren't completely unqualified to do this job. Aside from the fact that her accomplishment is about to get completely overshadowed by someone far greater than her, she was a robotic mouthpiece for the misinformation hate machine. A puppet on a string. A guilty party. Her appointment was not as bad as the joker at FEMA, but she is forever linked to this catastrophic administration. Does that ever wash off?
Have you noticed how President Bush and the vice president are now jumping on the band wagon and admitting they committed torture at Abu Ghraib prison, Guantanamo Bay, in other countries and ghost ships around the world? What about those seven enlisted guard soldiers they threw to the wolves while the NCO's, generals, Congress, CIA and others got away clean? Actually with murder!
redeye, on the way to another holiday party! Cheers!
If you guys ever get bored of the main event, there's an off Broadway version of John McCain theater, it's called Mike Rogers for Congress. Rogers has a reprimanded Abu Ghraib officer, who ordered torture, as his Chief of Staff (more later)! Check out the shameless ad these two are running.
The Politico article never said that Josh Segall was pro abortion.
Is anyone? "Proabortion" implys a like of abortion. The NRCC and Mike Rogers are pulling no punches in their latest War on Liberals ad campaign. Rogers lists off 31 flavors of liberals in his list; Hollywood Liberals, New York Liberals, Pelosi Liberals, Washington Liberals, Extreme Liberals, Radical Liberals...
Back in the 1950's, children, there was a song called "Flip, Flop and Fly". It was an insignificant blip on the charts, actually an obvious rip-off of "Shake,Rattle and Roll", the hit single by Bill Haley and others. And it has nothing to do with this rant, except to say that McCain's latest "Flip-Flop"doesn't fly.
In a recent interview, McCain was discussing all the times he has broken with the Bush Administration. (Shouldn't take long, that). He said in effect that he doesn't approve of torture and Hanity's monkey asked if he was saying that Bush does approve of torture. McCain replied that torture, as in waterboarding, did occur on the Bush watch.
At this point in the story, Reuters felt the need to editorialize, thus: Though a strong advocate of the war in Iraq and Bush's "surge" policy that increased U.S. troop levels there, McCain has been a critic of harsh interrogation techniques against terrorism suspects, including those held at the U.S. military facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Young peace activist and Alabama native, Ava Lowery has produced another video. This one juxtaposes Bush and McCain sound bites on the Iraq War and inevitably questions whether we want four more years of the same.
From Lowery:
John McCain has made it clear that if elected, he plans to continue the Bush Administration's "legacy", specifically when it comes to the war in Iraq. Over 4,000 American troops have been killed in the war, and it is estimated that at least 1,000,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the war. We've already had 5 years of a disastrous war. Do we really need four more?
I don't for a minute believe that the torture depicted in the Abu Ghraib photographs was concieved and carried out by a few soldiers acting on their own. Never did and never will. The higher ups gave the orders, the grunts carried them out and when it's time for someone to take the fall, the grunts get to do that, too.
But I never realized there was an Alabama connection to Abu Ghraib until my Google alert on Mike Rogers directed me to this post where Philip Gourevitch is discussing his new book, Standard Operating Procedure. Emphasis is mine.
Read the "counseling statement" that Captain Christopher Brinson issued to Charles Graner one day at Abu Ghraib after Graner had walked a hooded prisoner into a wall and banged him up so badly that he - Graner - had to give the captive stitches. Brinson, whose civilian job was as the legislative director and homeland security liaison for Congressman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican on the Armed Services Committee, wrote to his soldier: "CPL Graner you are doing a fine job... As the NCOIC of the 'MI Hold' are, you have many accolades from the MI units here and specifically from LTC Jordan. Continue to perform at this level and it will help us succeed at our overall mission." As Sergeant Javal Davis said of Graner, "He got an attaboy!"
Was Graner a sadist? Perhaps. But it required a much larger climate of command permission and approval for him to give expression to his dark impulses. Now Graner is serving a ten year sentence, while Brinson has never been held to account for the conduct of his troops whom he visited on most nights on the MI block at Abu Ghraib.
I'd never heard that anyone on Rogers' staff was associated with the mess at Abu Ghraib. So I Googled Brinson's name. And there he is in this article (advertisement first) by Mark Benjamin and Michael Scherer saying that higher-ups were responsible for what happened at Abu Ghraib.
U.S. Army Reserve Capt. Christopher R. Brinson, who in civilian life works as the deputy chief of staff for Alabama Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, was directly in charge of some of the military police later prosecuted for abuse at Abu Ghraib during the notorious autumn of 2003. Brinson received the reprimand in January 2006, but it had not been revealed publicly until his attorney, David P. Sheldon, confirmed it to Salon Thursday, noting that Brinson has since submitted a rebuttal to the Army. The attorney would not reveal the exact reason for Brinson's punishment.
Through Sheldon, Brinson told Salon that he was unaware of his soldiers' actions, and blamed superior officers for what happened at the prison.
Captain is a pretty superior position in the Army and, given Brinson's civilian experience, he should have known when he and the soldiers under his command were being asked to perform illegal acts -- that's the bright line soldiers are not supposed to cross, even if ordered to do so.
Graner said he told Brinson, "MI wants us to do this. That's not our job." According to Graner, Brinson replied, "Hey, our mission is to support MI. Do what they tell you to do."
Even when "what they tell you to do" involves covering up a homocide, apparently. This is also from the Salon article:
According to Brinson's statement, because of his position of authority at Abu Ghraib, he was awakened early on Nov. 4, 2003, after al-Jamadi died during CIA interrogation in a shower at the prison. Brinson said he arrived in the shower at Abu Ghraib to find a nervous CIA interrogator who said, "This guy just died on us." Brinson said al-Jamadi was lying on the ground face up with a bloody eye that Brinson was told could have come during an earlier struggle when al-Jamadi was captured. Brinson said he saw blood on the floor, according to the CIA report.
Brinson said that at the request of the CIA, he ordered his military police to put al-Jamadi's body in a body bag and fill it with ice until the CIA could arrange to move him.
Brinson also said he ordered the military police to clean up the scene, according to an account by an agent with the CIA Office of the Inspector General. "Brinson advised that he might have ordered the MPs ... to clean the blood smudge from the cell's floor," the agent's account related. Brinson said he ordered the room cleaned to avoid biological hazards.
The next day CIA ordered the removal of al-Jamadi's body by putting him on a stretcher with an IV in his arm so he would appear only ill, not dead.
According to Errol Morris (co-author of Standard Operating Procedure) Brinson didn't decide to take these actions on his own, by any means. After Manadel al-Jamadi, inconveniently died while being interrogated:
The top brass at the prison — essentially everyone who was anyone — were present and involved in a heated discussion of what to do next.[17] According to Jordan, [Col. Thomas] Pappas made it clear that he wasn’t going to take the fall for what amounted to the death of an O.G.A. prisoner. [18, 19]
So why have the Charles Graners and Lyndie Englands been prosecuted, convicted and locked up, while Brinson and everyone above him in the chain of command got off with a slap on the wrist or less. And by "everyone above him," I mean all the way to Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and George Bush, as well as the CIA operatives and folks wearing military uniforms who knew darned well they were ordering their people to perform illegal acts. And sullying the good name of the United States while they were at it.
Honestly, this makes me madder than anything else the Bush administration has done to us. They've made us -- all of us -- accessories to torture no one in charge has been held accountable for it.
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Well, 
