Torture And The Karmic Boomerang

What a surprise!

Add this to the growing list of Bush-related foreign policy blunders and deceptions.

The New York Times reports that the Bush administration based its account of a pre 9/11 link between Iraq and Al Qaeda on statements provided by an Egyptian prisoner who arrived in the land of the Nile all expenses paid via the CIA express. Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess why the U.S. sent him to Egypt or what lovely vacation accomodations awaited him. I'm sure this guy was no angel - but that's beside the point. The U.S. policy of "torture by proxy" has again proved itself suspect since the prisoner later admitted (this time not under duress) that he fabricated his assertions in order to escape harsh treatment at the hands of his captors.

"The new disclosure provides the first public evidence that bad intelligence on Iraq may have resulted partly from the administration's heavy reliance on third countries to carry out interrogations of Qaeda members and others detained as part of American counterterrorism efforts."

Does all of this sound vaguely familiar? It should. As you may recall the other major reason for our invading Iraq was a specious claim of an imminent attack on the U.S. by an Iraqi dictator with huge stockplies of WMD's. Turns out this too was based on fabricated evidence in the form of phony documents from Niger's embassy that suggested Saddam was shopping for Uranium.

Karma isn't just a new-age mantra chanted by yoga-infused spiritual wanna-be's on the West Coast. It is a very real phenomenon that exists in most every religion and secular philosphy. It's called other things. The Golden Rule, vindication, judgement day, "you get what you give". Call it whatever you want, its truth has been well proven over the millenia.

You see, Curious George, what happened with your fallacious Egyptian lead is what the experts mean when they say "torture doesn't work". Beyond that however, is a little thing called morals and values. It is the other pillar you rested your argument on for the invasion of Iraq. That pillar crumbled long ago. Are all these things starting to sink in, George?

Karma is a boomerang. If there is one thing that gets me to the next day in these horrible times it is the fact that this too shall pass. That through this darkness will come the light of reason. I do believe everything (even the current evil at home and abroad) happens for a reason. Obviously this country has much to learn and can only do so through the painful process of experience. It is my fervent hope that we learn our lessons now, for the other thing I believe is this; the lessons you don't learn now are the ones you're destined to repeat, over and over, until you do. History only repeats itself because of simple human obstinance. Humility and a willingness to learn from experience on a global scale would allow us to finally make a new and better history. Unfortunately, for now that is not meant to be. And that, my friends, is Karma.