NY Times: "There are too many moments these days when we cannot recognize our country..."

[marmar]

December 31, 2007
Editorial
Looking at America


There are too many moments these days when we cannot recognize our country. Sunday was one of them, as we read the account in The Times of how men in some of the most trusted posts in the nation plotted to cover up the torture of prisoners by Central Intelligence Agency interrogators by destroying videotapes of their sickening behavior. It was impossible to see the founding principles of the greatest democracy in the contempt these men and their bosses showed for the Constitution, the rule of law and human decency.

It was not the first time in recent years we’ve felt this horror, this sorrowful sense of estrangement, not nearly. This sort of lawless behavior has become standard practice since Sept. 11, 2001.

The country and much of the world was rightly and profoundly frightened by the single-minded hatred and ingenuity displayed by this new enemy. But there is no excuse for how President Bush and his advisers panicked — how they forgot that it is their responsibility to protect American lives and American ideals, that there really is no safety for Americans or their country when those ideals are sacrificed.

Out of panic and ideology, President Bush squandered America’s position of moral and political leadership, swept aside international institutions and treaties, sullied America’s global image, and trampled on the constitutional pillars that have supported our democracy through the most terrifying and challenging times. These policies have fed the world’s anger and alienation and have not made any of us safer.

In the years since 9/11, we have seen American soldiers abuse, sexually humiliate, torment and murder prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq. A few have been punished, but their leaders have never been called to account. We have seen mercenaries gun down Iraqi civilians with no fear of prosecution. We have seen the president, sworn to defend the Constitution, turn his powers on his own citizens, authorizing the intelligence agencies to spy on Americans, wiretapping phones and intercepting international e-mail messages without a warrant. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31mon1.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin

[otohara]

1. With Help From The Likes of Bill Kristol

this is rich coming from the paper who just hired known liar and PNAC member.

[Carolina]

5. good point

The established media including the NYT is and has been part of the problem starting with theft 2000.

[Danascot]

11. Bill "Wrong on Everything" Kristol

Quote from his Weekly Standard column of 9/30/07 regarding * veto of SCHIP:

First of all, whenever I hear anything described as ‘a heartless assault on our children,’ I tend to be…think it’s a pretty good thing. I’m happy that the President’s willing to do something bad for the kids.

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

2. This is a classic "glass is half empty" editorial.

The country I grew up in is gone,but I'm not going to whine about it----there is more good than bad left.

Many in other parts of the world risk their lives to get here.

[Benhurst]

3. Yeah, there are still a lot of places worse than the United States in

the world; but increasingly there are also quite a few now better.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the basis of much was fine about this country, have been shredded by the Bush Crime Family with the complicity of cowardly members of the U.S. Congress.

Recommended :kick: #5

[WHAT]

4. They have a lot of nerve, don't they?...

and I don't mean chutzpah, which hints at a playful scramble for success with connotations of vitality, not depravity.

blaming bush and the democrats is the new veneer of gloss that betrays with an illusion of depth the shallowness of that flat world view.

[charlie]

6. Wait until he's half out the door before they kick him

What steely-eyed courage. Next week, they'll take down McCarthy and Nixon.

Wusses. Self-important assholes. Worthless shits.

[Disturbed]

8. The NYT was & is complicit with the Busholini Regime.

Everyone should Boycott that rag.

[gratuitous]

7. Shocking! Scandalous! Oh, oh, ohhhhh

Get the smelling salts for the Gray Lady! Of course, after reciting this litany of high crimes and misdemeanors, they can't quite bring themselves to call for impeachment of this lawless administration. Nope, it's all up to Bush's successor to clean up the mess. Which nobody knows how it happened. And there's really no point in apportioning blame. And hey, don't look at us!

Disgusting.

[Hekate]

9. Nice of them to finally notice.Now how about an old-fashioned newspaper crusade...

...against corruption and treason? Pentagon Papers anyone?

Hekate

[wryter2000]

10. To which, I say

Judith Miller. Judith Miller. Judith Miller.

[EFerrari]

12. "Our country"? What bs.

It wasn't "ours" when the NYTs enabled BushCo. That is, even as they enable BushCo.

GO SELL IT TO SOMEONE STUPID ENOUGH TO BUY IT.