<President Bush demanded on Sunday that American troops held captive in Iraq be treated humanely and said he was pleased with the progress of the war.

It’s nice to be able to swagger, hitch up one’s belt, say things like “she-it” and jay-sus, "fuck Saddam", spit, fart and and in general act superior when things are going well. Can be fun. Slap a commie (read “Muslim” these days) for Christ.

A problem with that is when the tide turns.

The way the people at Guantanamo have been treated is shameful. Everyone has known that, the world has protested. Fed, yes, But blindfolds, sensory deprivation, sleep deprivation, the humiliations we’ve all seen and heard. Those return to roost, unfortunately, not roosting on the people who ordered them. GWB, Rumsfeld, et al. are perfectly safe.

Nope. It comes back on the poor people like those captured by the Iraqis. I suspect the Iraqis don’t feel too much more obligation to treat those people much better than the folks at Guantanamo have been. And, after all, from the point of view of the Iraqis, these people are volunteers on Iraqi soil.

Remember the photographs, and protestations from the international community? Remember Lindh, and the pictures? Did Rumsfeld seem even a little bit outraged? Or Bush?

I know that on these boards “moral equivalence” is anathema. But morality exists, and doesn’t have national boundaries. People are people. Too bad the people who have to pay the price aren’t the ones who should be.

Tragic. Has been all along, even if the Rambos couldn’t see it. Those poor kids, as the sins of the fathers are visited upon them.

Sorry folks. I think it ain’t right. Neither way, no matter who does it. Just ain’t right. And the perps sit at home, cluck and gloat. You know who they are.

Arf