Letter in New Yorker from Army Capt. Points Finger at Bush for Abu Ghraib

Did anyone see this in this week's letters column in the New Yorker? I don't have the issue with me and can't quote it, but it struck me as a gutsy (or dangerous?) thing for an active officer to do. It was, of course, in response to Seymour Hersh's articles, and his basic point was that the enlisted folks are not the real problem. The real problem goes all the way to the top. (To be clear: The author was not speaking as someone who knew more about the situation than Hersh's articles revealed.)

After 9/11, was there one individual who got blamed? No. That way no one had to protect themselves. So far, it's worked rather well, eh?

But now, several folks are getting the heat for this latest travesty.
When ya add heat to a simmering kettle it begins to boil over.

Boil, boil, troil and trouble. Pop goes the weasel. <grin>

What really infuriates me about the story Hersh tells is that young soldiers are the ony ones being dragged through the mud. Senior leaders (including the President) with years of experience are not taking responsibility for the blatant disregard of the Geneva Conventions through a special-access program meant only for intelligence operations. That the President can say in public that a few soldiers are to blame for this is a travesty. I'm also angered at the military leadership for not taking its share of the blame. I hold the President, as Commander-in-Chief, personally responsible for immoral decisions made by senior leaders, as well as for the actions of our soldiers. I believe that he has eroded respect for the United States around the world.

Captain _____ ______, U.S. Army
Indianapolis, Ind.

That is an awesome indictment.