Anti-torture, American style

It is not a federal crime under new U.S. anti-torture laws to render accused persons to nations which will torture them. If we are against torture, then extraordinary rendition--transporting prisoners for torture--should be a federal crime. The anti-torture bill is a feel-good measure putting a Band-Aid on a gangrenous wound. That wound is the indecency of our involvement in the Iraqi project.

If the Vice President is so in favor of torture, then let him do it...that is, unless he has other priorities. It is interesting that he wants others to do what he himself doesn't have the balls to do. Can you even imagine V.P. Cheney pulling out somebody's fingernails or waterboarding him? It would be impractical for him to do so, because he might get blood on his solid gold Rolex. Shotguns are so much less messy.

Also, I used to think that the present Iraqi government was simply a U.S. puppet, but recently I've changed my mind. I now believe that the U.S. government is the puppet and somebody else is pulling the strings that reach deep into the pockets of every taxpaying American. I wonder who the ventriloquist is.