This letter is associated with the following article:
Letters
Thursday, December 4, 2008 12:00 AM

Why do Feinstein and Wyden sound much different on the torture issue now?

The two Senators spent the year emphatically insisting that the CIA's interrogators comply with the Army Field Manual. With Democrats in control, they're not so emphatic any longer

Read other letters about this article

  • Friday, December 5, 2008 11:24 AM

    PDA, What Che seems to have confused with revolution

    is popular uprising. Those do happen, but only under very brutal or offensively unjust rules; they don't require organization because people collectively have enough of the government. There are no needs, demands, plans--simply to get rid of whatever power structure has participated in dehumanizing them.

    Generally, after a few days or weeks, one of two things happen:

    1) they peter out themselves. Sometimes, the government will be moved by self-interest to establish some reforms, but nothing too exciting.

    2) They are successful in toppling the power structure. Generally, however, because the uprising had no plans and no real or good leaders with goals in mind, they are co-opted by unscrupulous power hungry people quite easily. Some change may occur, but not popularly based, and not in the interest of the people who took matters into their own hands.

    Take a look around the world, and tell me that this isn't exactly how almost every uprising has played out--from Palestine to Cuba to Congo.

Most Active Letters Threads

688

Obama's exceedingly familiar justifications for escalation

The "new" approach to Afghanistan touted by White House officials seems quite old
682

The commendably missing element from Obama's speech

There was no pretense that human rights is our goal, or the likely outcome, in escalating the war
440

The face of rotted Washington

Evan Bayh demands more debt-financed war - fought by others - while boasting that he's a stern "deficit hawk."
323

Yes, it's Obama's war now

An uninspiring speech sells a dubious policy, but progressives who feel betrayed have only themselves to blame
209

Bigotry wins in Switzerland

By voting to ban the construction of minarets, Switzerland apes the most extreme intolerance in the Muslim world

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon