Excerpts from Drudge:
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON ANNIVERSARY OF ABU GHRAIB SCANDAL
The sad anniversary of the Abu Ghraib torture scandal is now upon us. It's an appropriate time to reflect on how well we've responded as a nation.
The images of cruelty, and perversion are still difficult to look at a year later. An Iraqi prisoner in a dark hood and cape, standing on a cardboard box with electrodes attached to his body. Naked men forced to simulate sex acts on each other. The corpse of a man who had been beaten to death, lying in ice, next to soldiers smiling and giving a "thumbs up" sign. A pool of blood from the wounds of a naked, defenseless prisoner attacked by a military dog.
These images are seared into our collective memory. The reports of widespread abuse by U.S. personnel were initially met with disbelief, then incomprehension. They stand in sharp contrast to the values America has always stood for-our belief in the dignity and worth of all people-our unequivocal stance against torture and abuse -- our commitment to the rule of law. The images horrified us and severely damaged our reputation in the Middle East and around the world.
Personally, I think leaving a woman to drown is cruel and perverted. In my view, since we are discussing sharp contrasts, I find Ted's finger-wagging sermon condemning torture to be in sharp contrast with his torturing of Mary Jo Kopechne.
Kennedy goes on:
Top officials in the Administration have endorsed interrogation methods that we've condemned in other countries, including binding prisoners in painful "stress" positions, threatening them with dogs, extended sleep deprivation, and simulated drownings.
I certainly do not endorse torture. I do find it ironic that Ted is complainging about "simulated drownings." How can he say those words with a straight face? Why doesn't someone tell him to stop talking about drownings? It's bad imagery for him to use.
He directly attacks President Bush:
Many of us were struck by the rhetoric in President Bush's Inaugural Address. "From the day of our founding," he said, "we have proclaimed that every man and woman on this earth has rights, and dignity, and matchless value, because they bear the image of the Maker of Heaven and earth." Many of us would like to work with the President to develop a foreign policy that advances these important values. But rarely has the gulf between a President's rhetoric and his Administration's actions been so wide. It is simply not possible to reconcile his claim that "America's belief in human dignity will guide our policies" with the barbaric acts that have been committed in America's name.
We must not allow inaction to undermine two bedrock principles of human rights law that we worked hard to establish at Nuremberg: that higher officials cannot escape command responsibility and lower officials cannot excuse their actions by claiming that they were "just following orders."
These are extrememly strong words, charging Bush with responsiblity for barbaric acts. Kennedy then speaks of Republican support for torture.
Never before has torture been a Republican versus Democrat issue. Instead, it's always been an issue of broad consensus and ideals, reflecting the fundamental values of the nation, and the ideals of the world.
...Torture became something that Americans of all political affiliations agreed never to do.
...It is clear beyond a doubt that we cannot trust this Republican Congress or this Republican Administration to conduct the full investigation that should have been conducted long before now. We've had enough whitewashes by the Administration and Congressional Committees.
And he blathers on about the restoring America's standing in the world. Ted just can't give up on Abu Ghraib. He marks the anniversary of the scandal with a long-winded statement. If he is so concerned about torture, why wait for today, the anniversary, to make it an issue?
I'm not clear. Does today mark the day when the story broke? Is today when cable news jumped on it? Whatever, this must be a first--reflecting on the anniversary of headlines and lead stories.
Will this be commemorated annually from now on? Will it become a federal holiday? Will it mean another three day weekend?
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