Comments on: Babes in TortureLand http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/ Rory O'Connor's blog Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:51:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.5 by: Flynn http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71987 Wed, 06 May 2009 22:15:11 +0000 http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71987 Jay, why the problem? Our country has always played by the rules, except for the eight long torturous years when Bush and Cheney ignored the very laws they swore to uphold and protect, all in the name of national security. But, the only thing they were trying to protect was their own crimes. Bush idealogues still justify his making war on a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. When you have a president like Bush and a vice president like Cheney who were basically criminals breaking the laws at every turn, that gave us a black eye around the world. Everything that we stood for, everything that made people in other countries want to come here and live - legally - was wiped away by Bush, Cheney, their minions and the rest of those on the extreme far right. The rules of war - the Geneva Convention - still applied, because we agreed to and swore to uphold them. They also applied because Bush and Cheney made war upon Iraq, a country, and not against the real criminal terrorists of Usama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group. The rules of war did not apply to Bin Laden and Al Qaeda because their actions did not publicly represent the political views of their home countries. But, Bush and Cheney destroyed Iraq by linking that country to Al Qaeda, despite the fact that Saddam Hussein (no great loss there) had no connection to Al Qaeda. Bush and Cheney and company got away with all of the laws they broke because they were protected by the Republicans in both houses. And the Hannitys and Limbaughs and the O'Reillys and Savages and the others gave you your marching orders and told you what you had to believe. The rot of Hitler must've been smiling from the hottest regions of hell over the Republican goosesteppers who believed in Bush, the American Hitler, instead of calling for his hide. And the goosesteppers still believed in him as he destroyed our economy with his personal vendetta war against Iraq. Am I an angry citizen of our country? Far from it, but I recall the hypocrisy of the Republicans during the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky storm, who swore they would never stand for one of their own lying. But, they did stand and they, along with almost all Republicans, consumed the Kool Aid because it was wrapped up in the name of national security. Personally, I hope the Republicans never regain control of the houses and the presidency the rest of our lifetimes. They don't deserve to be in control as they can't be trusted. With any luck, one or two of the conservative voices on the Supreme Court will step down and be replaced by more liberal voices. Our country was great once and maybe it's on its way to being great again. I hope so, as for that to happen, the Republicans: those on the fascist far right and the extreme fascist far right must be marginalized, to the degree where common thugs like Bush, Cheney, Alberto Gonzales are not allowed to break the laws they swore to defend and uphold. We are better off now as Obama is restoring sanity in running the government. But, those on the far right are still shooting their issue blanks - issues that don't matter to the majority of Americans any more because under Bush-Cheney, they saw where those issues took them, you and me and everyone else. The Republicans will one day be in control again, I have no doubt of that. But, for that to happen, they must move to the center rather than to the far right, which is where they are now and where they want to stay. They have no desire to rule our country in a bipartisan manner, they just want to please one group instead of all individuals. That path will ultimately lead them into oblivion, and when that happens, they will deserve the credit for killing their own party. Jay, why the problem? Our country has always played by the rules, except for the eight long torturous years when Bush and Cheney ignored the very laws they swore to uphold and protect, all in the name of national security. But, the only thing they were trying to protect was their own crimes. Bush idealogues still justify his making war on a country that had nothing to do with 9/11. When you have a president like Bush and a vice president like Cheney who were basically criminals breaking the laws at every turn, that gave us a black eye around the world. Everything that we stood for, everything that made people in other countries want to come here and live - legally - was wiped away by Bush, Cheney, their minions and the rest of those on the extreme far right. The rules of war - the Geneva Convention - still applied, because we agreed to and swore to uphold them. They also applied because Bush and Cheney made war upon Iraq, a country, and not against the real criminal terrorists of Usama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group. The rules of war did not apply to Bin Laden and Al Qaeda because their actions did not publicly represent the political views of their home countries. But, Bush and Cheney destroyed Iraq by linking that country to Al Qaeda, despite the fact that Saddam Hussein (no great loss there) had no connection to Al Qaeda.

Bush and Cheney and company got away with all of the laws they broke because they were protected by the Republicans in both houses. And the Hannitys and Limbaughs and the O’Reillys and Savages and the others gave you your marching orders and told you what you had to believe. The rot of Hitler must’ve been smiling from the hottest regions of hell over the Republican goosesteppers who believed in Bush, the American Hitler, instead of calling for his hide.

And the goosesteppers still believed in him as he destroyed our economy with his personal vendetta war against Iraq.

Am I an angry citizen of our country? Far from it, but I recall the hypocrisy of the Republicans during the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky storm, who swore they would never stand for one of their own lying. But, they did stand and they, along with almost all Republicans, consumed the Kool Aid because it was wrapped up in the name of national security.

Personally, I hope the Republicans never regain control of the houses and the presidency the rest of our lifetimes. They don’t deserve to be in control as they can’t be trusted. With any luck, one or two of the conservative voices on the Supreme Court will step down and be replaced by more liberal voices. Our country was great once and maybe it’s on its way to being great again. I hope so, as for that to happen, the Republicans: those on the fascist far right and the extreme fascist far right must be marginalized, to the degree where common thugs like Bush, Cheney, Alberto Gonzales are not allowed to break the laws they swore to defend and uphold. We are better off now as Obama is restoring sanity in running the government. But, those on the far right are still shooting their issue blanks - issues that don’t matter to the majority of Americans any more because under Bush-Cheney, they saw where those issues took them, you and me and everyone else. The Republicans will one day be in control again, I have no doubt of that. But, for that to happen, they must move to the center rather than to the far right, which is where they are now and where they want to stay. They have no desire to rule our country in a bipartisan manner, they just want to please one group instead of all individuals. That path will ultimately lead them into oblivion, and when that happens, they will deserve the credit for killing their own party.

]]> by: Stan http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71986 Wed, 06 May 2009 03:33:34 +0000 http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71986 Shame on you Condi Rice. So if the president wants you to start going to the back of the bus again, where YOU and only YOU belong at this point, I guess you'll be marching your sorry ass back there, "because if the president says it, it's not illegal." I know you're still carrying the 2 criminals, George & Dick's banner, but don't be a moron. You're too smart for that. Here is a simple and direct question for you. Is it OK for captured American soldiers to be waterboarded? If we don't want done to us, let's not do it to them. It's that simple!!! Shame on you Condi Rice. So if the president wants you to start going to the back of the bus again, where YOU and only YOU belong at this point, I guess you’ll be marching your sorry ass back there, “because if the president says it, it’s not illegal.” I know you’re still carrying the 2 criminals, George & Dick’s banner, but don’t be a moron. You’re too smart for that.
Here is a simple and direct question for you. Is it OK for captured American soldiers to be waterboarded? If we don’t want done to us, let’s not do it to them. It’s that simple!!!

]]> by: Nenad Bach http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71985 Wed, 06 May 2009 03:11:23 +0000 http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71985 "And I'll tell you something," she continued. "Unless you were there in a position of responsibility after September 11th, you cannot possibly imagine the dilemmas that you faced in trying to protect Americans. And I know a lot of people are second-guessing now, but let me tell you what second-guessing would really have hurt me - if the second-guessing had been about 3,000 more Americans dying because we didn't do everything we could to protect them." Comment: It is true that nobody but those in charge could imagine the pressure, but the results have been catastrophic. More than 3000 Americans died in the result of that "non-second-guessing" not to mention Iraqis innocent, our total loss of sympathy for us, read US, in the world, bad decisions not just on battlefield but home front as well. Creation of the feeling that anybody who criticizes president is not enough America, when exactly opposite was true. Patriotism is not a passive sport. We who knew what was wrong were responsible to voice our concerns to say the least. I don't think that new president could solve all the problems and I do not blame all of them on Republicans, but at least we have an intelligent man in the chair, someone that I think, is smarter than me. Before, I couldn't say that. America should focus on itself, green energy, inventions, electric car, education, quality communications (we are totally behind the so called western world). Substance over form, better movies, quality diet, rise the level of common good, help neighborhoods. Fast trains, 0 carbon emission. Lead the world, or at least follow smart ones. “And I’ll tell you something,” she continued. “Unless you were there in a position of responsibility after September 11th, you cannot possibly imagine the dilemmas that you faced in trying to protect Americans. And I know a lot of people are second-guessing now, but let me tell you what second-guessing would really have hurt me - if the second-guessing had been about 3,000 more Americans dying because we didn’t do everything we could to protect them.”

Comment:
It is true that nobody but those in charge could imagine the pressure, but the results have been catastrophic. More than 3000 Americans died in the result of that “non-second-guessing” not to mention Iraqis innocent, our total loss of sympathy for us, read US, in the world, bad decisions not just on battlefield but home front as well. Creation of the feeling that anybody who criticizes president is not enough America, when exactly opposite was true. Patriotism is not a passive sport. We who knew what was wrong were responsible to voice our concerns to say the least. I don’t think that new president could solve all the problems and I do not blame all of them on Republicans, but at least we have an intelligent man in the chair, someone that I think, is smarter than me. Before, I couldn’t say that.

America should focus on itself, green energy, inventions, electric car, education, quality communications (we are totally behind the so called western world). Substance over form, better movies, quality diet, rise the level of common good, help neighborhoods. Fast trains, 0 carbon emission. Lead the world, or at least follow smart ones.

]]> by: Allene E. Swienckowski http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71983 Tue, 05 May 2009 19:14:32 +0000 http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71983 It's too bad that Jay has no problem insulting the capabilities of a 4th grader or the integrity of Rory O'Connor. It would appear that Jay should be much, much older than the 4th grader and much, much less sophisticated. It's about time, as an adult that people who freely practice wholesale hatred against others who don't embrace their positions take the opportunity to sign-up on the dotted line and face their enemies; in other words join a branch of the military, put your life on the line and see if that exposure to the real world tones down your anger. We need more people in this world who think, THINK, rather than those who spand their time shooting from the hip and being incredibly offensive! It’s too bad that Jay has no problem insulting the capabilities of a 4th grader or the integrity of Rory O’Connor. It would appear that Jay should be much, much older than the 4th grader and much, much less sophisticated. It’s about time, as an adult that people who freely practice wholesale hatred against others who don’t embrace their positions take the opportunity to sign-up on the dotted line and face their enemies; in other words join a branch of the military, put your life on the line and see if that exposure to the real world tones down your anger.
We need more people in this world who think, THINK, rather than those who spand their time shooting from the hip and being incredibly offensive!

]]> by: ed kriner http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71982 Tue, 05 May 2009 19:00:25 +0000 http://www.roryoconnor.org/blog/2009/05/05/babes-in-tortureland/#comment-71982 Rice is channelling Nazi's. She says she was just following orders. We (America) hung Germans for aggreessive war and sentenced Japanese troopers to 15 years hard labor for waterboarding Americans (and hung the cadre of criminals that authorized torture). And while we are here. Hannity ( a weak, fat, complacent "patriot" lot's of them around apparently) says he'll get waterboarded on TV to prove it isn't torture. Hitchens lasted about 10 seconds under a controlled situation. KSM lasted 45 seconds during one of his 182 torture sessions. Is Hannity 1/2 the man KSM is? Is he twice the man Hitchens is? Olbermann has offered 1000 dollars a second to go to troop support organizations. I will give 10 a second. I think there should be a web-site set up to take in contributions. Let's see Hannity "man-up". No, he's weak and corrupt, and venal scared to death by hard men with a willingness to die for what they believe. Hannitty and, by extension, the other weaklings sitting in their plush offices with their staff of toadies and synchophatic ditto-heads would admit to killing Nicole Brown Simpson, the kidnapping of Judge Crater, and the assassination of JFK just being brought into a torture chamber (like we maintain round the world) and having their googles and hoods removed. Rice is channelling Nazi’s. She says she was just following orders. We (America) hung Germans for aggreessive war and sentenced Japanese troopers to 15 years hard labor for waterboarding Americans (and hung the cadre of criminals that authorized torture).

And while we are here. Hannity ( a weak, fat, complacent “patriot” lot’s of them around apparently) says he’ll get waterboarded on TV to prove it isn’t torture. Hitchens lasted about 10 seconds under a controlled situation. KSM lasted 45 seconds during one of his 182 torture sessions. Is Hannity 1/2 the man KSM is? Is he twice the man Hitchens is?

Olbermann has offered 1000 dollars a second to go to troop support organizations. I will give 10 a second. I think there should be a web-site set up to take in contributions. Let’s see Hannity “man-up”. No, he’s weak and corrupt, and venal scared to death by hard men with a willingness to die for what they believe. Hannitty and, by extension, the other weaklings sitting in their plush offices with their staff of toadies and synchophatic ditto-heads would admit to killing Nicole Brown Simpson, the kidnapping of Judge Crater, and the assassination of JFK just being brought into a torture chamber (like we maintain round the world) and having their googles and hoods removed.

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