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i find it repellent that the rationale for violating the geneva convention that surfaced via a justice department memo arguing that if you do not classify prisoners as pows--like by not charging them--that they were not pows so the geneva convention did not apply--a memo that surfaced in the early phases of the abu ghiraib (spelling?) scandal, which was subject to extensive and loud distancing by the administration--who were worried that thier policies and positions relative to policy had in fact (as it has) created an atmosphere within which the use of torture and other such violations---has now surfaced as part of the johnwayne right's conventional wisdom concerning why it is just fine to violate basic human rights.
the american state is bound by law, and bound by international law.
it is not a guy in a white hat showing up in front of kitty's saloon at high noon for a showdown with a guy in a black hat.
it is not ok for the american state to both systematically violate basic human rights and to float a rationale for doing so under the pretext of the "war on terror"--a "war" that iraq is completely tangential to--which creates yet another layer of problems for folk who indulge the macho we-are-at-war-goddamn-it line as does mojo.
the bush administration can and should to held to account for this kind of action.
hopefully next week.
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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear
it make you sick.
-kamau brathwaite
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