I'm sure you have heard the accusations by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) that Guantanamo Bay is like a Soviet Gulag or Nazi Germany. He even likened the situation to Pol Pot's regime in Vietnam. He stated today, after several military support groups went into action, that:
...the comments were intended to compare "torture" at Guantanamo to torture during the Nazi regime, not to equate Americans at the base to the Nazis and similar groups...
Excuse me? You're comparing the actions of marines to the actions of Nazis...but not comparing the people. Is anyone else having a hard time wrapping their brain around this one? They act like Nazis but aren't being compared to Nazis? Am I the only one that spots the inconsistencies here? Lets go to the original quote, maybe it will explain things better:
...those actions could have been done "by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime – Pol Pot or others – that had no concern for human beings."Nope, just as disturbing as when I first heard it. Just as pointed against our troops. Just as destructive towards America in general. It's his right to spout off nonsense like this, but we sure as hell don't have to like it. In fact, this act coupled with a few others borders on the treasonous. No, it's not outright treason, but when you put everything together and see the pattern it starts to get close.
Dick Durbin, it turns out, has a history of attacking just about everything Bush puts on the table and some things he has absolutely no bearing on. From Gitmo, to appointments, to even missile defense, Durbin has been riding the president's backside with no regard for who it hurts, as long as it goes against the president. Don't believe me? Well then, let me plead my case...like you could stop me...HA!
In 2001 Bush spoke about ramping up missile defense. Well, Durbin didn't like Bush back then. Here's Durbin's take on Bush' plan for missile defense:
The President's position is an invitation to an arms race. It would violate existing arms control treaties and ask us to defend our nation with a technology that some of our nation's best scientists do not believe is reliable.Maybe it's just me but it sounds like he's likening the plan to the Cold War with the USSR. I guess there's a history with making accusations of grandiose proportions, particularly if they attack Bush.
If you remember, Durbin was one of the Democrats who initially questioned Gonzales before the Senate voted him in. Basically, he didn't really give him a question but more of a scolding. He didn't really like his answer about the Abu Ghraib scandal:
I respectfully disagree. Blaming Abu Ghraib completely on renegade night-shift soldiers ignores critical decisions on torture policies made at the highest levels of our government – decisions that Mr. Gonzales played a major role in making. If we are going to hold those at the lowest levels accountable, it is only fair to hold those at the highest levels accountable.He then went on to attack half of the Administration for alleged abuses of Geneva Conventions that had absolutely nothing to do with Gonzales. He was grandstanding and trying to give the Administration a black eye. He was taking a dig at Bush while causing Gonzales harm. Rather unfortunate too, considering he had called Gonzales "an impressive individual with a record of achievement and an inspiring personal story" not moments before.
Article comments
1 - Marc
Excellent shredding of moonbat Durbin. A couple points you missed.
So when will the media jump on Durbins lack of concern for his own States prisoners?He voted against the resolution to give Bush authority to oust Saddam.
He voted against the resolution to evict Saddam from Kuwait in 1991.
And most telling of all, he needs to clean up his own house of torture in his home State of Illinois before aiding and abetting jihadist cut throats.
A sample of the torture in own of his county jails:
Ah... that would be never!
2 - M Paulding
Jeremy, for the record, Pol Pot was Cambodia, not Viet Nam. Yes, Durbin's statement was idiotic. However, I would add that, if there are any nazis around, they are working in the West Wing.
3 - Jeremy
I completely missed that point Spalding. You are 100% right about the Cambodia thing. I just figured since it was the whole "Vietnam Conflict" thing it would be close enough. (I know I should make a Kerry on christmas eve joke here, but it's not worth it.)
Like I said, I know Durbin loves the troops. I just think he hates Bush so much that he'll do them harm in order to get at Bush.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Spellcheck, Jeremy. Spellcheck.
I don't care how informed you are, it looks bad to the reader if you don't have time to at least run it through spellcheck and fix the obvious ones. I counted at least five errors, from Vitnam to isreally to, my favorite, Pol Pol. I'm sure the last one is the name of a panda.
(That's the editor in me coming out.)
5 - jacobs
Here is my open letter to Senator Durbin:
” Tempe, Arizona
June 17, 2005
The Honorable Richard J. Durbin
United States Senate
332 Dirksen Senate Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 228-0400 " fax
Dear Senator Durbin:
Re: Mistreatment of Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay [Cuba] detention center
I am confused. On multiple occasions via your web form mail I wrote to you asking support of Senator Feingold’s bills, namely,
[108th] Wartime Treatment Study Act (Reported in Senate)[S.1691.RS ]
[107th] Wartime Treatment of European Americans and Refugees Study Act (Reported in Senate)[S.1356.RS].
You failed to become a cosponsor on either of these bills. Yet, you are quite concerned about the treatment of terrorists and combatants at Guantanamo Bay.
Senator Durbin as American-born boy of twelve I was incarcerated in the United States at Ellis Island, NY and at Crystal City, Texas. Furthermore, I was expatriated to Germany where I was transported by the U.S. Army in a locked, frigid, stench-filled boxcar without heat and toilet facilities. After two nights and three days and almost freezing to death in this boxcar, I was taken to the prison, Hohenasperg, Germany, known as the Camp 76 by the U.S. Army. While a prisoner there I was threatened, by American soldiers, with being hung on the hangman’s tree in the yard of the prison. I was forced to walk with my hands on my head, and to eat standing up and in silence. Constantly, my guards would shout at me, telling me to “shut up” and calling me a “little Nazi,” and admonishing me that if I did not behave I would be hung--hung from the basswood tree (the gallows) standing in the prison yard! “See it,” the guard would shout. This happened to me Senator Durbin while I was neither a combatant nor a terrorist; I was an innocent American-born boy of twelve.
Today, you and many of your colleagues are clamoring for the releases of combatants and terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, but only four members of the 108th Senate cosponsored S.1691, Wartime Treatment Study Act"an act the would study thousands of cases of innocent victims (German Americans like myself) being locked up without due process, without access to an attorney, and without recourse even until this day.
Why is it that you and your colleagues are not willing to address the injustices that I and thousands of other innocent Americans endured in these United States during World War II, but you clamor for the release of combatants and terrorists?
I am in hopes that you will respond to this letter!
Sincerely,
Arthur D. Jacobs
Major, USAF Retired
An American-born internee at age 12"
6 - Jeremy
Mr. Sussman,
Thanks for the notice of misspellings. I had corrected most of those earlier (vitnam, Pol Pol..I thought tha panda's name was Ling Ling?)..yes, it was Ling Ling: http://www.chinaunique.com/Panda/pandaedu.htm
Sadly, Ling Ling has died some years ogo.
After rolling through a full 10 page double spaced 12pt font essay with 2,598 words in a single day your eyes tend to get a bit blurry. If you spot any more please let me know.
...Speaking of corrections:
Spalding = Paulding
Completely unintentional. I was not trying to make fun of you. Please see above about getting blurry eyed. I should be beaten with a wet noodle.
7 - The MaryHunter
Simply marvelous work, Jeremy, exposing Durbin for who he really is. All this, and in a time of war... he should be ashamed. Should be.
And you've stirred up a good bit of interesting commenting (and nitpicking, but that's all helpful in the end).
8 - Hajiamma
Hate is such a strong feeling. Durbin hates... he will grow old as an embittered soul who will have no rest, nor peace in his lifespan.
He will boil over, die early or stress related disorders, because he cannot release his ill feelings towards others, substantiated or not.
He festers upon arising from his sleep, yet his sleep is unsound, because he is a troubled soul, who has no mercy.
I rather pity the blackhearted devilman, and sincerly pray that his demons are expressed from him, like the foul juices expressed from a dogs anal sacs.
9 - JR
Jeremy: Spalding = Paulding
Completely unintentional. I was not trying to make fun of you.
Cool reference, though. Your subconscious is working overtime.
10 - Patriot
RE: Comment 5
Yes -- Durkin is a jackass.
Yes -- there were injustices committed by the United States during WWII.
One difference is that during WWII -- there was mass hysteria in this country -- which is not present now, and now there is a lot more attention paid to "human rights".
11 - RJ
Good post.
Dick Durbin hasn't been a Senator for long, even though he is the Democrat's number two guy. He was first elected in 1996. He is up for re-election in 2008.
The GOP in Illinois is a mess. Hopefully they will have recovered enough in three years to run someone decent against this asshole...
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