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Gitmo Farce Just Part of Dems' Scorched-Earth Strategy Barrett KalellisIllinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin's mindless rant on the floor of the Senate comparing U.S. servicemen and women to Nazis, the Soviets and Pol Pot in their treatment of war combatants incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay was just another handful of mud thrown at the Bush administration, in keeping with the current Democrat scorched-earth strategy. This partisan strategy is part of a larger mosaic, ranging from obstructing the confirmation of qualified appellate judges and other officials nominated by the president, to the Democratic lack of seriousness about reforming Social Security or health care, and finally, to their shrill backbiting about the administration's war efforts and policies during a period of wartime. Story Continues Below Aided by their liberal allies in the media, national purpose and will takes backseat to casting doubt about the president's leadership and motives. Finding fault – any fault – and magnifying it beyond all recognition is the tactic of choice: Abu Ghraib, the Quran flush, "abusive" prisoner interrogations and "international embarrassment." Whipped up by the media and enshrined as Democrat talking points, a manufactured drumbeat of criticism becomes the D.C. buzz, picked up and amplified by the megaphones of pundits and other talking heads. Calls for investigations and/or Senate committee hearings follow – designed to put the majority party on the defensive and embarrass the president, making his task of corralling weak-kneed Republicans like Arlen Specter and achieving party unity all the more difficult. The charge of prisoner abuse at Gitmo is farcical. Can't Americans conjure up what real prisoner abuse is like? Perhaps they should watch old war movies like "13 Rue Madeleine," where Nazis work over Jimmy Cagney. Or the torture and abuse suffered by American drug smuggler Billy Hayes in a Turkish prison, depicted in "Midnight Express." So, what are the indignities visited upon the Gitmo detainees? That the temperature of the interrogation rooms is not in the comfort zone? That a guard dropped a Quran? That a woman interrogator batted her eyes at a prisoner? This is sheer nonsense, especially in light of the fact that the ignorant religio-fanatic terrorists usually behead or shoot their prisoners and videotape these atrocities for public broadcast. Instead, we learn that at Gitmo, the prisoners are served gourmet meals and are given material concessions to accommodate their religious belief, such as Qurans and prayer mats. In addition, they are allowed all sorts of special treatment to practice their faith, including celebratory menu alterations like figs and dates. Remember, these are the intolerant louts who were part of the harsh and cruel Taliban regime, who not only oppressed their countrymen but also invited outside terrorists to set up shop on their soil to take up arms against the United States. They are part and parcel of the fanatics who flew the fateful jets into our buildings. Have we forgotten that prison is a warehouse for miscreants who lose their freedoms and must endure certain punishments, if necessary? Most Americans probably believe that if they were running the prison, the Qurans and the prayer mats would go into the dumpster; the daily menu would change from honey-glazed chicken and rice pilaf to mystery meat, Spam and all the pork they could eat. And they might substitute a Three Musketeers bar for the figs and dates, if they were cooperative during interrogation. What is most distressing about the "destroy Bush at all costs" strategy is that it ultimately weakens the U.S. in prevailing against those who would attempt to kill Americans, even upon our own soil. It is a replay of the Vietnam strategy: Sow discord throughout the country, undermine our foreign policy efforts and our military effectiveness, try to wrest power from the Republican majority. It is a deeply dishonest and contemptible strategy, following the well-worn Democrat playbook of dividing Americans into opposing classes – and particularly loathsome during a time of war. Americans would be wise to consider the high stakes that the future holds. Given the fanatic and hostile regime in Iran that is sending suicide bombers into Iraq, all the while pursuing the creation of a nuclear arsenal, our national interest demands stability in the Middle East. This cannot be accomplished by surrendering the region to the terrorists. Since leading Democrats like Senators Durbin, Kennedy and Leahy have shown they will stop at nothing to discredit President Bush, even to the extent of undermining our war efforts, Americans should see through the empty rhetoric and the pseudo-philosophical posturings and reject their thoughtless remedies. We should strengthen our resolve and continue to do what is right. Barrett Kalellis is a Michigan-based columnist and writer whose articles appear regularly in various local and national print and online publications. He may be reached at kalellis@newsmax.com.
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