sisyphusshrugged | Mr. Dan continues to be magnificent on call.

Another blogger takes down the can't you take a joke? response to torture

Hey, remember back a month ago when these same people said there was no possible excuse for Kos saying something rude?

"She just happened to be there when they took these photos," she said. But at the same she said the abuse was "stupid kid things, pranks" and asked defensively whether "what the Iraqis do to our men and women is just?"

Ma'am. Let's imagine a half dozen Iraqi men captured your daughter, put a bag over her head, leashed her like a doggy, and dragged her around, laughing their asses off. Let's imagine they forced her to masturbate and simulate oral sex with another woman. No, no, wait till you hear the punchline. You'll love it.

Now imagine that they photographed her. You know, for souvenirs. The next thing you know, your darling little patriot, her goodies only barely covered by pixellation, is seen worldwide, surrounded by leering and smiling men. It's what William S. Burroughs called "soldier's pay."

Strangely enough, you appreciate the hood. At least no one will recognize your little sweetie, the light of your life who once skipped happily through the marigold fields surrounding your little town. Well, you'd hope nobody would know, but these things have a way of getting out... Most of the people in your town would understand, maybe. I'm sure they're very open-minded there.

Meanwhile, your daughter becomes a punchline. And commentators in Iraq state that she had it coming, and anyway, what's the big deal? We're at war...