Read It And Weep

for what the United States, born into freedom and "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal", has become:

A letter from Gitmo, recently declassified.

I don't know if this man is what we'd think of as a terrorist or not. I don't know if he was fighting the US invasion of his country or not. I don't know if he was Taliban, Madhi Army, or any other damn thing. I just know that he's been held for five years with no justice.

And that he's been tortured.

In Related News

Dubya, on growing legislative opposition (but non-binding) to his urge to surge:

""That would mean that they're not willing to support a plan that I believe will work and solve the situation," Bush said. "Listen, we've got people criticizing this plan before it's had a chance to work. And I, therefore, think they have an extra responsibility to show us a plan that will work."

You were offered a plan that more people believe would work. It's called the Baker-Hamilton report, George.

As I recall, there was a fair bit of opposition to another little plan you thought would work, back in 2002.

At that time, you demonized your opponents, bullied them into submission with ad hominem attacks. You said things like "Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists."

You ignored the voices of conscience and caution and plowed into your little adolescent adventure in Iraq.

Now you're telling everyone--after having been clearly instructed to start thinking about a strategy for bringing the troops home--that throwing 16 percent more bodies into the grinder "will work."

I tell you what. You dig up twenty thousand Young Republicans who are willing to serve. Send your daughters* to join the war effort. Send to Iraq any of the hawks who didn't serve in combat in Viet Nam. And recruit any of the talk-show hosts who have blindly supported your war of lies all these years who are of military age.

Then we'll talk.



* If you live in Canada, the UK, or Australia and can't figure out whose picture that is, pull out a coin and look at the "heads" side.

Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor was a driver/mechanic in the Women's Territorials. For a picture of the Bush Daughters' contribution to the war effort, click here.