On Tue, 18 May 2004 11:57:40 GMT, Brian Nystrom
wrote:

Sure, and if they hurried and you didn't like the outcome, you'd be
complaining that they "rushed to judgment". Again, you're trying to have
it both ways. Do you want justice or not?

I think it is rather interesting that since the story has been rather
widely publicized the military is seemingly speeding up the various courts
martial, without even waiting for the results of other investigations. It
seems something other than a desire for justice is propelling these things,
whatever you suggest my reactions might be.

I don't see anyone arguing to the contrary.

You are arguing that it involves a small number of people. I argue that
the presence of the people in the photographs along with the two officers
that seem to have been implicated indicate that the problem goes way beyond
a small number of people.

And lo and behold, it's being investigated! Imagine that!?

Again, not a limited number of people. In the military, if something
happens on one post and then occurs another place in the military, it is
highly unlikely (possible, I'll grant you, but highly unlikely) that it is
unrelated. Usually there is some link, either in the command structure or
elsewhere, but events such as these are not usually unrelated.

Again, no one is arguing otherwise. You're once again trying to create
the appearance of a problem where none exists.

If you were unaware, "looking the other way" is often called "dereliction
of duty" in the military, especially when abuse of prisoners is concerned.

Yet you seem perfectly willing to presume to know how I think and insert
your own meaning into my words. One thing is for certain, you and I
don't think alike.

Again, if I distort your views, I apologize. I form conclusions based on
how I read your words. If such conclusions are incorrect, again, I
apologize.

Does that qualify you to make judgments about military justice? My
father was a career officer in the USAF and flew covert missions, but I
don't presume to be an expert on related subjects.

I am qualified to make judgments about military justice because I am an
American citizen, and I have served to boot. I've also grown up in a
military family. I don't claim to be an expert.

Extremely slowly by your "instant gratification" standards, perhaps. It
doesn't seem to me to be going any more slowly than civilian
investigations often do. Why should this take any less time? Just
because you're outraged by it (as am I), doesn't mean that the
investigation should be rushed. It's quite obvious that it's a very high
priority for the military and the administration.

Maybe it is obvious to you, it isn't to me.

Certainly "some folks" would like that, but the genie is out of the
bottle and there's no going back to that position. This is too high
profile of a case for anyone involved (Congress, the military, the
Justice Dept.) to allow it to become a whitewash. At the very least, I'd
say your concerns are unfounded.

On what basis would you say my concerns are "unfounded"? There seem to be
several many members of the press as well as congresscritters (and others)
that have expressed similar concerns.

I addressed this a couple of paragraphs back. It ain't gonna' happen
that way. It's not even remotely possible.

I think I may have heard a similar statement: "It can't happen here."

Quite the contrary, I think I've boiled it down pretty well. It sure
seems that all you're really interested in doing is complaining about
the Bush administration, whether it's justified or not. You don't like
them and WE GET THAT, OK?

Like I have said before, I would be complaining about this no matter what
administration was in charge. GET THAT TOO, OK?

[insults deleted]

Galen Hekhuis NpD, JFR, GWA
We are the CroMagnon of the future