Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Dear Mr. President,

It’s pretty clear now that rather than putting an end to the torture of prisoners, you’ve decided to expand it to include not only “enemy combatants” and alleged terrorists, but to U.S. citizens who disagree with the policies of your regime. The conditions under which Pfc. Bradley Manning is being held, constitute torture in the opinion of many psychiatrists and those of us who’ve bothered to read about his treatment by the military. They are similar in many ways to the manner in which Abu Zubaydah was tortured in 2002. Manning has yet to be brought to trial after 10 months of incarceration, most of that time in solitary confinement and all of that time under inhumane unjustified conditions. Regardless of guilt or innocence, Bradley Manning is a U.S. citizen protected by the Constitution, the Geneva Conventions, international law and basic human rights, all of which have been blatantly ignored and trampled. Even P.J. Crowley, neither a pacifist nor a bleeding heart liberal by any means, declared Manning’s treatment “ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,” a breach in your official position and therefore he was removed post haste. So much for freedom of speech in your administration. But his statement caused that embarrassing question in your press conference about the treatment of Bradley Manning, to which you replied – with a straight face – that the Pentagon assured you he is not being mistreated. What lies! What hypocrisy! Sickening. But alas, part of the pattern. Your promise to stop the torture of prisoners was a lie. You’ve expanded it to U.S. citizens. First Manning. Who’s next? Your vow to end the misbegotten wars was a lie; the war in Afghanistan has been expanded and we still have 47,000 troops in Iraq. You’ve increased and expanded incursions by Special Forces and teams of CIA assassins into Pakistan; drone strikes have more than tripled. (I read today where drones are used in Mexico – Mexico! – in the drug war, another phony war that will never be won with guns and planes and violence. Where should we look for drones next? LA? New York City? Chicago?) Whatever happened to truth and democracy and freedom? The Constitution, the Geneva Conventions, the rule of law? You’ve protected none of them. You sold out. You’re turning into a tyrant, a Hitler, a Hussein, a Qaddafi, a Mubarak. You are no better than your predecessor, a menace to our country and to the world. Do the right thing Mr. President, Free Bradley Manning!