Cheney, Rumsfeld, Bush, and their enablers are walking abominations. They have brought a level of barbarism to warfare that is akin to the most atrocious crimes perpetrated by the worse dictatorships. These vicious creatures are truly international war criminals. They should be turned over to the International tribunal in The Hague, and made to pay for their hideous crimes.

So if we torture detainees, and kidnap and torture their families to pressure them to cooperate, how are we any better than Saddam Hussein? Not to mention the "alleged" rape of 14-year-old Iraqi girls by American soldiers, and other atrocities... The next revelation will be mass graves--and the excuse will be "justified" retaliation for some "insurgent" action--these "insurgents" being largely folks who resent us having invaded their country and kidnapped, tortured and slaughtered their parents, wives and children. You can't wage war without breaking some eggs--and frankly, that's the best reason not to wage war at all.

Diplomacy may take a lot more time, Mr. Bush, but it won't tarnish your reputation the way a patina of blood will.

Read McCain's account of his captivity in Vietnam or anything by David Hackworth about the mindset of the American soldier, and you get a strong sense that we once were "better" than the enemy in a moral way. McCain even mentions that that is the thought that sustained him for a long time while incarcerated in Vietnam.

It's not surprising that the real hawks are draft-evading children of privilege who are calling the shots while evading responsibility for their poor judgement, disregard for international law and complete ignorance of the rules of engagement. The folks at the Pentagon are trying hard to prevent Bush and Rummie from a disastrous course that has destabilized the Middle East and driven energy costs through the roof. All at great expense to the American taxpayer and the poor men who return from combat to face the meanest, most cold-hearted bureaucracy in the world - the VA.

The old joke told at the start of the Iraq war rings true:

Q: "What's the difference between Vietnam and Iraq?"

A: "Bush had a plan for getting out of Vietnam".

Sad, indeed. America has lost it's way. Let's hope we can bring it back on track in 2008.

Torture and murder. Holding prisoners indefinitely without charges or trial. Now rape and kidnapping (which , by the way, is not news--it was reported on BuzzFlash years ago).

At each new revelation of America's descent into fascism the American people give a big yawn and turn to the sports page or the soaps. The Congressional Republicans who have allowed this to happen will be returned to their majority status in November because Democrats won't dare making any of this an issue.

"The Good Germans" used to sarcastically describe those who tolerated Hitler and allowed fascism to flourish.

Welcome to the age of the "Good American."

The Republicans in general and the Bush administration in particular have so much to hide from the last five years that they will never allow the Democrats to hold majority status -- and with it subpoena power -- in either chamber of Congress. One way or another, despite overwhelming pre-election and exit polling, the GOP will "mysteriously" (as in 2000, 2002 and 2004) squeeze out another victory. When will the mainstream media and the Democrats finally realize that this isn't "politics as usual" anymore?

To the Editor,

These must be falsehoods with reference to; CERTAINLY NOT AMERICANS, not American Soldiers, Sailors or Marines those pledged to UPHOLD FREEDOM, JUSTICE and LIBERTY for ALL. They, "the few bad apples" from this other EVIL EMPIRE must be caught up in a game of 'Rummy' or 'CRUSADER Bingo' or perhaps they have been like their Commender and Chef, aka CEO, asleep at the Wheel. Then again, I saw it Bumper Stickered "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE".

Anyone associated with this Administration Knows that.

There is MUCH, MUCH, MORE MONEY to be made.

George doesn't even have to Pen Ransom Notes, he just calls in the chits and asks Congress for a larger tip and it's a done deal.

Gimme, Gimme, Spend and Spend, Borrow and Spend and Spend and Borrow, call Peking, they will lend and lend, call Japan, they will lend and lend and our TREASURY can print and print.

Those Aghanis' need better equipment to protect their Opium export, no Taliban to stop 'em now. We know our own Talibani, he likes those American Dollars, from our 'coalition of the purchased'. And our boys and girls in Congress, they like the roo haah of "I've been to Baghdad...# ..of times, probably just like the dubber, in the Green Zone. I read a journalist today who "Walks the Walk" to observe and report the "Talk". MY ROO HAAH for him, a TRUE AMERICAN TRUTH TELLER.

AMERICA of the FREE, America of the BRAVE, where have you gone? Have we all been rendered to Hell by Presidential Decree?

sub sole sub umbra virens

HOW MANY IRAQIs' have died for their Freedom?

Or is DEATH how America sets them FREE? They assuredly "aren't with us", so we must Free them from one Tyranny to substitute our own.

Damn Sadaam, just because we gave you that stuff, you weren't supposed to use it there, Rumsfeld didn't shake your hand that you could do THAT!

The atrocities continue, and their numbers grow, but for me they always are one-plus-one plus yet another one, not a total: the general murdered in a sleeping bag brought me to tears.

More frightening, for me, than the kidnapping and torture of detainees' family members is that our mainstream media have dropped the subjects, if they've picked them up at all. Although I read two metropolitan papers every day, I have yet to see this story anywhere but in Salon.

Has anyone else read it anywhere?

We shall have to look to Salon to learn what happened at the DOD when the deadline came—Friday at 5 p.m.—for Rumsfeld to reply to the subpoena.

This is why I read Salon - time after time you report what is absent in all other "media".

It is very hard to determine if the leaders in the white house and congress are evil, stupid, absent or distracted.

Or all four.

Thank you. Thanks for good investigative reporting.