He has no problem with the fact that there is or was any abuse of the detainees. He has called the use of torture "brilliant" and likened the events to being no worse than a fraternity prank - "sort of like hazing, a fraternity prank. Sort of like that kind of fun."
From the Rush Limbaugh Show Sept. 30, 2005:
LIMBAUGH: Another American judge, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, has sided with our enemies of Al Qaeda. Pictures of detainee abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison must be released, despite government claims they could damage America's image. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven that they do not need pretexts for their barbarism. The American Civil Liberties Union sought the release of 87 photographs and four videotapes as part of an October 2003 lawsuit.
Anything you can to harm and destroy the country, anything you can to be critical of this country, would be permissible on the wacko American Left.
Now, I have a couple of questions for Rush. First, if the torture is "fun" and no worse than "fraternity hazing," why would it matter if the pictures were released? After all, according to Rush, this is fun. Arabs should be lining up to take a ride through Abu Ghraib so they can have a little male bonding time. In fact, the pictures could be used as a recruitment tool to get the insurgents off the streets and behind bars. We could make big posters of the pictures and post them all over town to show the insurgents what "fun" times they are missing out on. This way, we don't have to round them up and put American soldiers lives at risk.
Second, if the torture was so "brilliant," why would you not want the pictures to be seen? If torture is such an effective tool, wouldn't this be a great way of dissuading anyone from challenging American authority? If worked for Saddam for almost 30 years. If Saddam was able to pacify his country for decades with torture, and Rush thinks torture tactics are so great, again, we should be advertising these pictures, not hiding them.
I don't think Rush realizes that it is the torture itself that sullies the American reputation, not the pictures. I wish he would get that through his big fat head.
H/T - MMFA
3 comments:
The issue isn't torture- we know that happened. It was a shameful episode.
That said, we know the torture occured. The only thing releasing more photos will do is incite the whack jobs.
The last time the whack jobs were so incited, by a Newsweek story that didn't quite pass the smell test, 15 people died.
Like I said- this isn't news. We know there was torture and we have dealt with it and are continuing to do so.
Releasing these pics serves no point other than to put lives in jeapordy.
so, are you saying that we should live in a country where the government can suppress things if it might make us look bad? That sounds kind of Orwellian of you Siggy. And, don't forget, it was the pictures that brought this to light in the first place.
One of the most vital elements to a democracy is transparency. That means the truth about the good and the bad... or should I say the "good" and the "minus good."
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