What disturbs me most about this article by Senator Ted Kennedy is that he ever suspected that Roberts and Alito were credible as moderate judicial candidates. Anyone casual observer can see that the Administration has no intention other than pushing an extremely radical right-wing agenda. Why is it so hard for Washington insiders to understand this?
That Senator Kennedy seems to be saying he actually took Roberts and Alito at face value is a horrifying thought.
According to this Reuters’ story, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was alive when US forces arrived at his bombed-out safehouse. If our military knew where this man was, and were able to arrive on the scene that fast, why couldn’t they have captured him alive? Why isn’t this man alive, in custody, and facing a trial for his crimes?
Yesterday, Atrios said, “I’m supposed to give the obligatory “YAY USA!” cheer here…” Why? Because we’ve proved that we can summarily execute someone we think is guilty? And, who else did we kill to get al-Zarqawi? Were they all guilty, too? Aren’t we about laws and justice and fair trials? Isn’t this what our founding fathers and countless others have fought for?
I don’t feel happy about the death of al-Zarqawi. Don’t get me wrong here: I’m not going to lose any sleep over his passing. I feel like I can breathe a small, temporary sigh of relief, but I don’t feel happy when anyone dies, and I don’t feel happy when America flexes our muscles and not our superior morality. I feel sad for the whole fucked up world that created whatever perverse moral universe al-Zarqawi lived in. But I’m angry right now. We knew where this man was, and we have the best special forces in the world. Why isn’t he alive and in custody? Why do we not show the world what American justice is really about—not blind, murderous revenge, but the cold, dispassionate, and thorough process of trial by jury?
Update: Hume’s Ghost also does not celebrate Zarqawi’s death
