One of this Administration's top "experts" on information warfare and public relations has set a new standard for the trivialization of torture issues. In today's
Washington Post, Robin Wright had an article about the food aboard Air Force Two (Rice's aircraft entitled:
Oh, for a Flight Without Wings. In that article, "one of Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's inner circle" is reported to have said:
"I don't think you understand the depth of hatred for wing-dings among the staff," said Jim Wilkinson, one of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's inner circle. "We're not sure what kind of wings they are. Some people hate the meatballs, but most hate the wing-dings. They violate the laws of war, the Geneva Convention and the international convention on torture. They're sooo bad."
Talking about 'wing dings', Wilkinson -- a specialist in the political manipulation of words and influence operations who is extremely close to Condoleez Rice -- feels free to equate his food service with violations of international law? Should we be surprised ... should we? Perhaps not ... but outraged, yes ...
Amid the (legitimate) problems for the United States around the world due to Abu Ghraib (and other military abuse/torture cases), Guantanamo prison, and (not so) secret prisons where basic Nazi torture tactics (the water board is almost directly out of Gestapo training manuals) were evidently in regular use, what was intended by this trivialization of torture:
- No intention -- Wilkinson simply has a lousy sense of humor and no clue that
- Trivialize the entire concept of "torture' through using it in the most banal discussions so as to lessen the impact of the word when used about US actions.
Either way, this is pretty bad. And, all one can conclude is that, evidently, if not provided high quality Washington restaurant quality meals, those America holds prisoner around the world should receive international intervention on the basis of torture if Wilkinson's standard represents Bush Administration policy.
Re, the speaker, Wilkinson has a long and 'distinguished' career as a political operative. After working for Dick Armey, he was a Rovian operative in the 2000 campaign, including a shouting role amid the Florida recount intimidation campaign.
He then moved into the White House where his career furthering the aims of American national security (or, should we say, undermining it?) continued as a member of the White House Iraq Group before he was sent off to be the political watch dog over CENTCOM's public affairs efforts. This may have been the first time that the White House sent a political operative into a forward military headquarters to serve in such a public affairs role in US history -- in the Soviet Union, these were called Political Commisars.
He returned into a position back in the National Security Council staff, where he cemented his relationship with Condeleeza and followed her to the Department of State.
With all the problems in US foreign policy in substance (torture from Abu Ghraib to 'secret' prisons, for example), any hope for successful public diplomacy would depend on people who actual understand the importance and public impact of their words. Wilkinson is skilled at manipulation of the American public to further Republican Party interests. He is not skilled at judging the potential impact of his words. To use his words, he is simply "sooo bad."
NOTE: While there is likely more, my site search only turned up one Kossack diary on Wilkinson which refers to his Iraq experience, Bush's Media War Room