One of Ours

Over and over, one heard variations on the theme of, "Gee, it’s terrible about all those people who died in the towers and all"—that had already become the pro forma disclaimer/preface for America-bashing—"but maybe it’s a wake-up call for us to recognize how bad we are, Why They Hate Us."

Yes, the 9/11 attacks were terrible and all . . . but look at how badly the United States has treated the Third World, etc. etc. etc.

And I hear an echo of this "but" in some of the conservative commentary about Abu Ghraib: "Yes, the abuse and humiliation and battery of the Iraqi detainees was awful... but look how badly Saddam treated people in prison. Look what the Iraqis did to those four contractors on March 31, etc etc, etc.

There is no "but." Period. As Secretary Rumsfeld and his accompanying high defense officials and officers have made abundantly clear, the acts were crimes and must be understood as such.

There is no but. There is no but. There is no but. Clear?