Some thoughts

Folks, I do not downplay the seriousness of the abuse of the Iraqi prisoners by the prison guards. If you look at what these allegations and confessions are about and what
these guards did, well, its morally repugnant, and no one is dismissing this. The army and the rest of our nation is extremely disappointed in the mistreatment of its detainees - and to prosecute the guards is the right thing to do.

However, abusing prisoners is NOT U.S. policy. And the way the media and politicians are treating this story is as if abuse of prisoners were U.S. policy. It is not!

I protest the lack of perspective in this whole thing and I find it infuriating. Here's my problem with the frenzied reporting of the abuse of the Iraqi prisoners. I am tired of the cheap politicians, led by Hillary herself, who says this abuse goes all the way up the chain of command. That's what's wrong. Folks, the army itself heard about the abuse and investigated it themselves. In mid January this info became known. An investigation started within two days. And a report was written. By the time March rolled around, several individuals were already on leave, fired, indicted and prosecuted. There are only seven people named so far but the media is acting as if the entire US Army is behind the abuse. Folks, if it weren't for the US Army, we wouldn't have known about this at all. This story wasn't broken by 60 minutes or by 48 Hours. The story was broken by the US Army themselves. Top generals are on top of this.

But, folks, people are having a field day at our expense. In addition, what the US has done in Iraq, in full context, and the price we have paid, we don't owe a single soul an apology. Why? Well, what have we given to the people of Iraq? Over 700 Americans lost their lives to give liberty, civility, security and prosperity to a people who have only known genocide. Seven people owe everyone an apology. But the US does not owe anyone an apology.

When you put it in its perspective, the US has sacrificed everything to the people of Iraq, who are complete strangers. Americans, who have volunteered to join the Army, are risking everything for these people. They have left their families, their babies, their loved ones; some have lost their businesses, all for the Iraqi people.

If you listened to the criticism from the media you wouldn't know that for 13 years we have sought to bring security to Iraq. Did we not help Kuwait? Did we not spend American resources to protect Kuwait 13 years ago? And now we are helping the very country that invaded Kuwait. And now we have our military there not to conquer, not to acquire, not to steal the oil, but to deliver the Iraqi people from the claws of Saddam Hussein.

Where is the perspective in all this? The idea that our president had to sit thru two interviews, especially with Al Jazeera, the mouthpiece of our enemy, is embarassing and I was devastated and ashamed that the president would apologize to the same people that killed and celebrated the murders of three thousand Americans on 9-11. The president did not speak for me, he did not apolgize for me. It was shameful to witness it. But don't think that it's not apparent that the over emphasis on the abuse by seven rogue prison guards is part of an effort in what is the latest in a series of attempts to destroy our president.

So folks, let's get a perspective on this; only seven prison guards lost their moral compass, not at all a reflection of US policy, and most importantly, our boys overseas who are sacrificing everything for strangers, deserve nothing less.