Rarely am I disgusted with my government. Well rarely am I totally disgusted with my government, but the news that the Pentagon released a now defunct memo from the Bush administration outlining the legal justifications and loopholes to torture "enemy combatants" really made me sick to my stomach. Even the term "enemy combatant" upsets me - because what they really mean is people. Perhaps they are mean, awful, terrible individuals but they are people all the same. The irony that life is sacred to Bush while it is in a woman's womb is not lost on me. I suppose the lesson is after birth life must not be as valuable or special.The News Hour discussed this subject for a good 10 minutes tonight on the evening news and for the life of me I'm still at a total loss to understand why / how we have allowed this administration to undercut our moral authority and reputation both in the world and at home (at least with Americans who feel as I do). Clearly the U.S. is not a rogue or terrorist nation. Obviously our country has contributed to the cause of human rights. And certainly most Americans believe that life (regardless of who we are talking about) is something to be treasured and treated with respect. So how can a Justice Department memo, dated March 14, 2003 written by former staffer John Yoo, that offered a defense if an interrogator was charged with violating U.S. or international laws for torturing enemy combatants even exist? How can the Bush Administration not see the damage he has inflicted on the repuation of the country? Considering he (Bush) has such a moralistic view on life, I can not understand how he justifies his actions - is he haunted by his decisions? I'm not left with that impression (not that it would make me feel better about what he has done). I am thoroughly disgusted and at a loss for words to adequately address this topic. I can only refer back to an earlier posting I wrote in late 2007 when waterboarding was a hot subject discussed in the news called "What Are Values?"
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