but Bush believes in freedom, justice and democracy. no really.

Bush today again called for the American people to stand firm and unwavering behind him regarding the Iraq war, stressing that "the war in Iraq was vital to a crucial struggle against terrorists who he said intended to build a "totalitarian empire" of global reach."

simultaneously, the White House brought full pressure to bear on (Republican) Senator McCain for his successful passage of an amendment that would "ban use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against anyone in United States government custody." this bill passed the Senate by a vote of 90 to 9, yet the Bush Administration is going to veto it if it passes the House because it might limit our 'flexibility' in fighting wars. because that is what we should be afraid of, constraints on our yogic skills of contortion. not the safety of our troops, the defilement of 'American' values of honesty and justice, the undermining of endeavours in other lands by the mixed message such behavior sends.

i am so disgusted i could vomit. i leave you with words from Senator McCain:
"Many of my comrades were subjected to very cruel, very inhumane and degrading treatment, a few of them even unto death. But every one of us - every single one of us - knew and took great strength from the belief that we were different from our enemies."

hang in there, John! don't let the bastard get you down. you are helping us remind our children that 'right' is not a sliding scale, that morality is not morality if subject to convenience, and that America can be great only if we stand by our values.