May 4

Open Letter to President Bush

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Dear Mr. President,

I, like you, am sickened and disgusted by the images of Iraqi prisoner abuse recently revealed. Whenever I see these images on TV or online or elsewhere, I feel a great shame come over me. Certainly this sort of thing has happened before, maybe countless times in the history of warfare, but only now thanks to the internet do these things come so easily to light. Even more reason for everyone to be careful how they represent themselves.

When I saw you on TV in the Rose Garden the other day making brief comments about the images, I noticed what I felt was a lack of obvious anger on your part. Not for a second do I believe that you weren’t angry – furious – at what has happened. But I do wish you would show it. You don’t have to use the phrase “heads will roll,” but that has to be the implication for the world to see, that you will not stand for this, and that someone will be held accountable. Shout it if you have to! Bang your fist on the lectern and say NO, we do not do this!

Will that get played on Al-Jazeera? I couldn’t say. But a lot of people around the world WILL be watching, and they need to hear it from the guy in charge.

Thank you for your time.