(no subject)

There are so many ways to react to the [I cannot find a word] horror of the slaughter of Nicholas Berg. One way, which some people will take, is to respond to the murderers' tit-for-tat cruelty with our own tit-for-tat cruelty. You see, they'll say, we're right to torture Those People - see what they're like? Another way is to point out that the sanctioned torture would inevitably lead to retaliation; Bush and co bear a fraction of the responsibility, and they can hardly complain about what happens to American prisoners while the abuse scandal widens to engulf Guantánamo Bay and Afghanistan. While that's true, it's too much like conceding a point to the murderers.

So let me suggest a third way to respond.

You are not allowed to mistreat prisoners. Ever. It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter who they are. It doesn't matter if they're POWs, accused terrorists, or convicted felons. It doesn't matter how great or small the abuse. It doesn't matter what some other guys did to their prisoners. I don't want to hear your excuses. You are not allowed to mistreat prisoners. Ever.