opinion: «a president beyond the law»
the nyt's anthony lewis shares his opinion on the pervasive disregard for the truth and the law within the bush administration.«the question tears at all of us, regardless of party or ideology: how could american men and women treat Iraqi prisoners with such cruelty — and laugh at their humiliation? we are told that there was a failure of military leadership. officers in the field were lax. pentagon officials didn't care. so the worst in human nature was allowed to flourish.
but something much more profound underlies this terrible episode. it is a culture of low regard for the law, of respecting the law only when it is convenient.
again and again, over these last years, bush has made clear his view that law must bend to what he regards as necessity. national security as he defines it trumps our commitments to international law. the constitution must yield to novel infringements on american freedom...
...instead of a country committed to law, the united states is now seen as a country that proclaims high legal ideals and then says that they should apply to all others but not to itself.»
link alert via the brilliant ultimate insult.
Labels: Commentary, Politics
