On a different blog, I commented that this hair-splitting over whether what US soldiers are accused of doing is “abuse” or “torture” seemed like an attempt to preserve some kind of magical American exceptionalism. ”Well, we may have abused, but America doesn’t torture.”
“The pictures I've seen depict conduct, behaviour that is so brutal and so cruel and so inhumane that anyone engaged in it or involved in it would have to be brought to justice,” Mr Rumsfeld said. (BBC News)
I’d say that pretty much clears that matter up.
All countries, everywhere, are defined by their actions. Reading certain neo-con writing, I sometimes get flashes of the idea that America is a Knoxian “Elect” country, that because America is an inherently good country, anything we do (no matter how it seems) must be good, too. Of course, that’s backwards: If America is to be a good country, it must act that way. Often, we do. This time, we didn’t. The myth that our actions are self-justifying is incredibly dangerous.
posted 19:18