Sadly, Russia is no good these days. The terrorists deserve Kolyma.

If it includes some “coercive interrogation” – esp. waterboarding, sodomy with a light-stick, and being left out naked in the freezing cold – I’m all for it.

Then they could ship them off incommunicado, and neither the courts nor Congress could have access to them!

> They are all in a “state of denial”.

I disagree. I believe the word is “defiance.” There’s a bit of weasel-dom included, as well, since I doubt the Bush people intended to get caught or exposed at doing what they are doing.

Sam Says:
The Bush administration seems to be in a similar state. They are obviously covering up things in just about every arena. When asked about anything from energy policy, domestic spying, treatment of prisoners, appointments, lobbying connections or even the touching of young interns all of a sudden files are lost, executive privilege get invoked, or some other delaying tactic is used to shift attention long enough.

Well said Sam… In three short paragraphs you have given an accurate overview of the current situation, and potential future problems being forced on us by the Bush Administration. They threaten not only our country and the American way of life but the entire planet.

Shame on George W. Bush and 28% that refuse to open their eyes… How anyone can defend these people is beyond me.

I would add, though, that incompetence and secrecy aren’t just a bad combination, they’re a common one. As a few writers have pointed out (I believe Digby being one), corrupt, incompetent governments always try to cover their deeds up. I’ve lost track of all the contradictions, shifting stories or lies coming from the Bush administration on this affair. Demanding honesty and accountability should not be partisan issues. If an accurate, honest account of what went on would exonerate them, they’d have offered it long ago.

Big difference.

From Bush’s perspective, he has no incentive to budge an inch on this matter. If I thought he was really worried about the impact that all of this could potentially have on Republican prospects in the 2008 election, I’d say he might at least cut Gonzales loose. But I doubt he is really losing any sleep over what could happen in the 2008 election.

My money stays on “steady as she goes” for the WH.

The Bush administration seems to be in a similar state. They are obviously covering up things in just about every arena. When asked about anything from energy policy, domestic spying, treatment of prisoners, appointments, lobbying connections or even the touching of young interns all of a sudden files are lost, executive privilege get invoked, or some other delaying tactic is used to shift attention long enough. The president personally has stepped in to prevent key people from testifying under oath for gods sake.

Some times I forget what country I’m living in. My country, the USA, is supposed to be a place where those in power are held accountable because history has shown us when they are not things go to hell in a handcart. Pretty soon you have the gov’t spying on its citizens, arresting folks without a trials, torturing anyone they see as a threat. In order to hold them accountable they have to tell us what they are doing and why. Not us the people, but at least Congress or appropriate commitees where sensitive issues are concerned. A gov’t that insists on operating in the dark is a gov’t that is a threat to its own people.

But I am glad that you’re as incensed as I am Michael. As a country we need to unite around the idea of responsible and open government, independent of political affiliation.

Translation- they will have to be dragged kicking and screaming from their posts or endure hearing the gossip from now until Bush leaves in 2009. No one in this administration has the grace to be embarassed by their wrongdoing and leave office on their own anymore. They are all in a “state of denial”.