Because it would have been leaning on the wrong president and political party? Just wondering.

This isn't about honesty or "forgiveness." There are few countries out there that can stand up and say their freedom and morality are better than ours, and if they haven't had to make the hard decisions maybe it's because someone else has made them for them.

We brought Abu Ghraib into the open, newspapers published photos, the people involved were arrested, tried, and convicted. Policies were changed. Our shame was dragged across the field of world opinion for months, aided by cheerful liberals only too happy to help throw stones at their own country.

So show me one country that stood up and said "well done. What a fine and civilized country, to be forthcoming about your own flaws. You are forgiven." In fact, did it change one damn thing? Did one single important opinion of our country change from negative to positive? Did the political attacks ease off, or increase once the blood was in the water, with the same people turning from Abu Ghraib to look for the next attack point?

There isn't "more at stake." That is crap. This is a political attack, timed for a specific effect, aimed at specific targets, and the only "high principles" attached to it are in the minds of those liberal voters who project their own views onto their political leaders. This isn't about "world opinion." It's about ripping the head off the Bush Administration and pissing down the neck, same as it was back then.

Here's a check on the premise: Have you seen major media objections to Obama's rendition policies, surveillance policies, or security policies? Where are the "wedding party" stories about missile attacks in Pakistan now? Have the HRW papers about "business as usual" at Guantanamo made the news?

If President Al Gore had done those things right after 9/11, most of those currently wailing about our moral decay would be lined up now making excuses for him. And, disgustingly, there are probably plenty of Republicans who would be making the same noise the Democrats are now.

That's the hard truth of it.

You might have higher principles on the line. They don't.