You said it, Tom.





"I know that tough interrogations are vital in a war against a merciless enemy, but outright torture, or this sexual-humiliation-for-entertainment, is abhorrent. I also know the sort of abuse that went on in Abu Ghraib prison goes on in prisons all over the Arab world every day, as it did under Saddam — without the Arab League or Al Jazeera ever saying a word about it. I know they are shameful hypocrites, but I want my country to behave better — not only because it is America, but also because the war on terrorism is a war of ideas, and to have any chance of winning we must maintain the credibility of our ideas."





Yes, we do have to fess up to not doing as good as we'd like. I understand that these are politicians we are talking about, but do we really automatically hold them to a standard lower than those of most 10 year olds? Responsibility. Perhaps there's some sort of inherent political problem with admitting one's faults, but when they go to an extreme, honesty is necessary. Is this not the very reason why people examine the character of a candidate more than his qualifications?