Durbin Feels the Heat
Power Line
Dick Durbin has posted a sort-of apology on his web site; here it is:
>>>
"More than 1700 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq and our country's standing in the world community has been badly damaged by the prison abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. My statement in the Senate was critical of the policies of this Administration which add to the risk our soldiers face."
"I will continue to speak out when I disagree with this Administration."
"I have learned from my statement that historical parallels can be misused and misunderstood. I sincerely regret if what I said caused anyone to misunderstand my true feelings: our soldiers around the world and their families at home deserve our respect, admiration and total support."
>>>
This is idiotic. First, Durbin notes that more than 1,700 soldiers have been killed. This is a good reason to interrogate enemy combatants, hardly an argument to the contrary. But Durbin leads with it to create the illusion that this is somehow his concern. Next he says that his statement was "critical of the policies of this Administration." But saying that American soldiers are indistinguishable from Nazis and Communists isn't being "critical of the policies of this administration." This administration has not, in fact, condoned torture of detainees; as we have pointed out over and over, the administration's policies have been humane to a degree that is probably unprecedented in world history during wartime. When abuses have occurred, as at Abu Ghraib (which Durbin irrelevantly drags into his "apology"), they have been in clear violation of the administration's policies.
Finally, Durbin tells us that he has just now learned that comparing our soldiers to Nazis, Communists, and Pol Pot-type crazies "can be misused and misunderstood." Misused? What does that mean? By whom? Presumably Durbin means that al Jazeera et al. can "misuse" his statements to trumpet the claim that high-ranking American officials have conceded that the U.S. is just as bad as Nazi Germany. I'm not sure that's a "misuse"--it is what Durbin said--but if he has just now figured out that his statements can be used as propaganda by the enemy, he is much too stupid to be a United States Senator.
Finally, Durbin "sincerely regrets" if what he has said has "caused anyone to misunderstand his true feelings." I think, on the contrary, that what Durbin regrets is that he inadvertently expressed his true feelings for his constituents to see.
Thanks to Marine Corps vet Steve for the heads-up.
powerlineblog.com
durbin.senate.gov |
