100 days is enough time for a ruler to establish his priorities. For Obama, it looks like this:

1. Reinforce the entrenched economic dominance of the investment banking cartel; indemnify major players from financial loss.

2. Consolidate the military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan; neutralize Iran and prepare the foundation for expansion into Pakistan.

3. Clamp a lid on political excesses of the outgoing regime; ensure loyalty of military and CIA via guarantees of immunity from prosecution.

4. Stonewall on health insurance reform to give major insurers time to distribute congressional campaign donations.

Obama and his Congressional cohorts are not just blowing smoke here. The contents of the photos cannot be the point, as the images will no doubt eventually be leaked to the media. My hunch is that the photos provide an actionable link to treason not yet exposed, and to war criminals not yet indicted.

A rarely discussed aspect of these gulags is that all of the captive targets of US military brutality have been men. It is sobering to recognize that had women been subjected to the barbaric treatment these men have endured, the American use of torture would be cast in a heinous sexualized context of rape and depravity.

GG wrote:

"People can decide for themselves what meaning to draw from the fact that one of Obama's most mindless, obedient, gushing worshipers is a young German eager and desperate for a dictator to rule over her life."

At this point, I think most young people's impression of Nazi-era Germany is largely based on Indiana Jones movies.

Once memories of WWII have faded out, I expect people will retire the "good German" archetype, and refurbish it with support-the-troops Americans of the Bush era.

Chuck Todd babbled:

"Is it healthy for our reputation around the world ...that we have to do what other countries... so-called democracies that struggle with their democracy, and sit there and always put the previous administration on trial - you don't think that we start having retributions on this going forward?"

Personally, I'm all about the retribution. The only thing these corporate flacks fear is losing their privileged spot at the imperial feed trough.

Rush Limbaugh said:

"Mrs. Pelosi, you asked for this, here ya go. Adolph Hitler, like Barack Obama, also ruled by dictate."

Those of us with a democratic mindset may find this an odious comparison, but that's just because we worship the myth of Obama as Holy Messiah. From a reich-winger's perspective, ruling by dictate is a mark of distinction; it's what a real Decider does, a Commander-in-Chief. This is Rush's good-ole-boy way of giving Obama a hearty slap on the back while rubbing Pelosi's nose right in it. He's gloating over how Obama, like Bush Jr., has already joined the ranks of the Big Boys who aren't afraid to flirt with fascism.