Yesterday, I posted Senator Durbin's statement to one of the Bush administration's chief torture architects (at hearings on his nomination to the 4th Circuit bench). It didn't get many reads, but I fear I may not have framed its importance correctly. I believe, in view of the lack of attention it has received, this statement is important enough for me to re-frame and re-post it. Please read below. And if you agree that Durbin's statement deserves more attention, please consider Recommending this post.
Over the years, the Repugs' most consistent policy has been to mistreat and disrespect US troops and veterans. From Jean Schmidt literally wearing a picture of someone else's enlisted son (that obnoxious pin she always had on while running against war vet Hackett) to lying to Congress in order to slash services to vets (the VA's cover-up of a $1 billion budget shortfall), to the worst of it all:
As we have witnessed with all of the torture scandals, the top people in the Bush administration have consistently scapegoated the lowest-level troops for following orders, while promoting and praising the bwok-bwok (brave with other people's kids) chickenhawks who gave them those orders.
All the while, they have made a PR stunt of saying, "What message would we send the troops?"
Two days ago, Senator Durbin gave a retort to all of those shameless cowards that needs to be repeated and disseminated widely. Please read below and pass it along.
If you haven't read it already (and judging by the lack of MSM attention it has received, you probably haven't), please read below and please pass it along to other outlets. This is something that definitely needs to be up at ThinkProgress.org, crooksandliars.com, YouTube, and especially Fox News (recall that they put a previous Durbin statement in heavy rotation, knowingly misrepresenting his meaning; their silence regarding the same point, reiterated but better-worded, is deafening).
Maureen Dowd (Time$elect) quotes Sen. Durbin at length. Here's what he told William Haynes in an open hearing:
"The State Department characterizes the use of dogs as an interrogation aid as torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. We publicly condemned the countries of Libya and Burma for using dogs in interrogation. In November of 2002, you recommended that Secretary Rumsfeld approve the use of dogs to intimidate detainees at Guantanamo.
The Department of Defense's own investigation concluded that this technique migrated from Guantánamo to Iraq and Abu Ghraib. At least two members of the armed forces have now been convicted under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for using dogs to frighten detainees. It is striking that as these soldiers were prosecuted, you were being promoted. What message are we sending our troops? And what message are we sending the world, in light of your role in promulgating abusive interrogation techniques, like the use of dogs, stress positions and forced nudity. What message are we sending if we promote you to the second highest court in the land?
Well, we're going to dispatch a few privates, a few corporals, a sergeant, maybe it will get to a lieutenant, but it'll never get upstairs. ... Apparently, upstairs there's a promotion party. Downstairs people are being sent to prison."
This is a statement that everyone who actually cares about the troops needs to make to reply to the Republicans who have done nothing but abuse and scapegoat our troops while buying car magnets made in china.