Faith in Bush Administration Slipping

Lynndie England was convicted of prisoner abuse and sentenced to three years in prison. General Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was quoted as saying that it was "one more example of holding people accountable, because that's who do it." He said, "We had a problem and we dealt with it in an appropriate way." It seems rather odd to me that the policy this soldier was working under was developed by then Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, which redefined the meaning ot "torture." It was approved by the president and implemented by the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, first in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, then in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rumsfeld admitted responsibility for the policy last year before a senate committee. According to President Bush, the prison practices "represent actions of a few people." Since then, those punished have tended to be lower level soldiers. The total abuses in Iraq and Afghanistan has reached 230 while the number of inquiries has passed 400. Bush's rhetoric calls for full investigations but his actions have blocked any calls for a full, independent investigation that would look at the role played by his administraiton. It is difficult to have faith in leadership that claims responsibility for its actions while doing evertything in its power to to duck accountability. We should be telling Bush and all supporters at the next election that actions speak louder than words. KAREN PADMORE

Cape May Court House

Letter published in Cape May Herald, October 26, 2005