Why the continued coverage of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal?

[Eloriel]

Xymphora has an interesting take on the subject:

http://www.xymphora.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_xymphora_archive.html#108477819509875254

Why is the disgusting American media continuing with the story of the Iraq torture? We know these 'journalists' wouldn't report on anything even mildly embarrassing to Bush unless they were told to do so for an ulterior motive. Could it be because the torture really doesn't concern Bush's base ('them ragheads had it coming for knocking down them buildings in New York'), while serving to cover up the even greater outrages taking place in Iraq and Israel? The torture nicely obscures the fact that the American military just completed one of the great massacres in recent world history, killing at least four to five hundred civilians in Falluja, as well as many Iraqis who were defending their city against the attack (the defenders are called 'terrorists' in official Ameri-speak). The American military is in the process of killing more people in southern Iraqi towns, and attacking and damaging the holiest Shi'ite religious sites. If this continues, we may see the conflagration which the neocons are obviously trying to start. As the torture story unfolds, the Israeli military has gone wild in the Gaza Strip, and Israel is in the process of destroying the homes of hundreds or even thousands of people (outrageously, Colin Powell blames the whole problem on Arafat, who is apparently hindering peace by daring to complain about Israel's clear breaches of international law!!). The release of the torture pictures suits the neocons just fine, as it upsets the Arab world while simultaneously covering up the wholesale evil being conducted by the American and Israeli militaries. Seymour Hersh's latest revelations about Rumsfeld and Cambone further drag out the torture story, continuing the smokescreen. Hersh is one of about three real journalists working in the whole United States, so I don't want to say anything bad about him, but the latest anti-Rumsfeld allegations - no doubt true and completely consistent with the Bush Administration's pattern of using 9-11 to as an excuse to abandon any pretence of civilized behavior - have the distinct smell of CIA leaks intended to embarrass Rumsfeld, deflect attention for the torture away from the CIA, and regain for the CIA some of the power it has lost to Rumsfeld's Pentagon. The neocons may have to throw their critics a Cambone bone, but their position has not been weakened, and their main goal of starting WW III in the Middle East continues under cover of the more enticing torture stories.


----

And to further round out the picture, re Bush's base -- this wonderful article in Newsweek -- MUST reading if you want to peer inside the conservative mind:

See No Evil
A political psychologist explains the roles denial, emotion and childhood punishment play in politics
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4972441/

[maggrwaggr]

1. well it's kinda hard to argue with that

Also it's taken BBV off the front lines.

Personally I think the main reason the media keeps pursuing this is because it's all about S - E - X

[OneBlueSky]

2. "their main goal of starting WW III in the Middle East " . . .

and that, friends, is what scares me more than anything . . . BushCo really DOES want a conflagration in the Middle East, and they're willing to spend infinite American dollars and lives to get it . . . what they are capable of between now and Election Day is almost too chilling to think about . . .

[burythehatchet]

3. I love it when my pet theories are affirmed

For years I've maintained that childhood abuse, and more importantly, how the victim deals with it, are the key indicator of their political leanings.

I believe that the far right wing is a collection of physically and sexually (Santorum) abused souls. Its quite sad, actually.

[Beetwasher]

5. You Sound Like a Psychohistorian

That's precisely the theory behind the fundamentals of psychohistory.

www.psychohistory.com

[burythehatchet]

8. Yeah...that's it....psychohistorian....

seriously. Never heard the term before. I will check out the link. Thanks.

on edit: very interesting web site

[Beetwasher]

11. From What You Wrote Re: Abuse

I think you'll dig it big time...

[Generator]

6. That's quite interesting

from the other message board I used to frequent, the staunchiest Repuk and meanest woman there had been horribly abused as a child.

She had no pity for anyone and always expected everyone to "suck it up" and stop whining.

I shudder to think what she'd say about the Iraq abuse, thankfully I don't visit there anymore.

[burythehatchet]

9. It simportant to consider that its not the abuse itself

its how the victim handles it. Personally, I suffered corporal punishment a fair amount as a child. Through lots of introspection, and some excellent books (Silent Sons, Iron John) I was able to reconcile the issue and turned into a happy liberal.

[LizW]

4. Excellent Newsweek article

It points out something we can't afford to forget: conservatives don't think the way we do. Inhofe's rant the other day was a clear indication of the differences. Where we see sexual abuse and torture of Iraqis and are horrified and outraged, Bush's base sees sexual abuse and torture of Iraqis and sees well-deserved retribution.

When we say, "This violates the Geneva Conventions!" Bush's base says, "Good! Screw the Geneva Conventions! We're Americans!"

[kimchi]

7. Thanks for the links.

Good info.

[cheezus]

10. SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX

it's the sort of story they can sell!