06-01-2004, 05:40 AM
"So Abu Graib is now the President's fault..."
If, by that, you mean the recent goings-on at that cheery little facility in Iraq, then yes, it really is.
In addition to starting a totally unneccessary war, he appointed Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defence. Rumsfeld then authorized all sorts of thoroughly questionable appointments and orders designed to obtain information to combat "terrorism". Those appointments and orders then suffled down through the ranks, first in Afghanistan, then at Guantanamo, and finally in Iraq, to result in the abuse of prisoners contrary to the Geneva conventions. Worse, the abuses are systematic (according to the Red Cross, a well known Islamic media outlet) and we haven't seen the worst yet (Rumsfeld).
Now, we know that Rumsfeld had reports from both internal allegations and the Red Cross six months prior to this scandal breaking into the mainstream. If he didn't know, he's stupid, and I think we can be fairly sure he isn't stupid. Dubya, who very well might be stupid, has expressed his full and public support for Rumsfeld, therefore dealing himself into the game at the current state, even if we are to forgive both his rather shady choice of Sec. of Defence, and going to war in the first place.
So, yes, it is Bush's fault, on a few different levels. Not only his fault, of course, but there's plenty of fault to go around.
Jester
If, by that, you mean the recent goings-on at that cheery little facility in Iraq, then yes, it really is.
In addition to starting a totally unneccessary war, he appointed Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defence. Rumsfeld then authorized all sorts of thoroughly questionable appointments and orders designed to obtain information to combat "terrorism". Those appointments and orders then suffled down through the ranks, first in Afghanistan, then at Guantanamo, and finally in Iraq, to result in the abuse of prisoners contrary to the Geneva conventions. Worse, the abuses are systematic (according to the Red Cross, a well known Islamic media outlet) and we haven't seen the worst yet (Rumsfeld).
Now, we know that Rumsfeld had reports from both internal allegations and the Red Cross six months prior to this scandal breaking into the mainstream. If he didn't know, he's stupid, and I think we can be fairly sure he isn't stupid. Dubya, who very well might be stupid, has expressed his full and public support for Rumsfeld, therefore dealing himself into the game at the current state, even if we are to forgive both his rather shady choice of Sec. of Defence, and going to war in the first place.
So, yes, it is Bush's fault, on a few different levels. Not only his fault, of course, but there's plenty of fault to go around.
Jester