serena1313Aug 28th, 2007 - 00:23:06

I do believe Jordan has been made a scapegoat, but if responsible for allowing this sort of abuse to take place he ought to be held accountable. Jordan would not have initiated it solely himself without the express orders from up the chain-of-command. Bush and his administration officials -- current and former -- are responsible.

It is well-documented that Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld allowed and even encouraged what happened at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. But they needed 'legal' cover. So Attorney General Gonzales and former justice official Yoo calling the Geneva Conventions 'quaint' broke decades-long treaties by loosely redefining legal terms. It was with that premise in they twisted what, under 'normal' circumstances, is considered torture. Although the military purportedly no longer uses 'harsh' [torture] techniques the CIA and other intelligence personnel do. Bottom line it was on the 'decider-in-chief's' watch and ultimately under his orders the abuses took place. The jury is still out on the legality issue, but the moral issues are clear.

Equally important this is about much more than just Jordan. It is about an administration out-of-control. It is about humanity and dignity; It is about the rule of law, traditions and honouring decades long treaties. Americans used to champion human rights and civil liberties, but in an atmosphere of fear that vanished.

In absence of moral fortitude traditional values and principles cease to exist. Alleviating suffering is noble, but there is nothing cavalier in abusing and torturing people. More than enough suffering is felt in the world without adding to it. While Jordan may or may not be found guilty either way justice will not be served unless those that are responsible, all the way up to the POTUS, are held to account for heinous acts and crimes against humanity.

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