Old Media 'Courage'

So I see the Salon's online magazine has posted 279 photographs from the Abu Ghraib prison. Naturally, these photographs focus only on the misdemeanors performed by a small group of US soldiers. There is no mention of the true atrocities that occurred in Abu Ghraib prior to the US invasion and subsequent freeing of the political prisoners and rape victims who had previously populated said prison. Nor is there any mention that the prisoners so subjected are specifically excepted from protection by the Geneva Convention and are themselves guilty of crimes far worse than posing naked in dog collars.

But of course, there is no place in Salon's breathless coverage of the 'human rights disaster' for any sort of context. So I shall attempt to provide some, since the 'professional journalists' of Salon either cannot or more likely, will not do so. Yes, what occurred at Abu Ghraib was out of line. However, let us remember that the US military was already investigating the crimes that occurred there, and that the NY Times' so-called scoop was in actuality a scoop from the very military that the Times reporters tried so hard in their story to criminalize and denigrate. Let us also remember that all persons who participated in said events have now been found guilty and will be spending significant amounts of time in military prisons. And just for fun, recall that until the US invasion of Iraq, Human Rights Watch had estimated that roughly 50,000 Iraqis per year were killed- first tortured then killed, by their own government. How many Iraqis have died in torture chambers under US governance? If there have been any, even the anti-American MSM have yet to discover it.

And while we are on the subject, let's talk a little about what constitutes a 'human rights disaster'. Salon claims that this is 'horrifying humiliation and abuse', but they don't seem to have a problem with Westerners being held in captivity with none of the amenities granted the Abu Ghraib captive, and ultimately being beheaded on TV for the amusement of al-Jazeera television. Salon has no problem apparently with that. Nor does Salon appear to have a problem with the world-wide mistreatment of non-Muslims by Muslims. Where have been the breathless declarations of human rights disasters regarding Darfur, or East Timor? Perhaps when Christians are abused by Muslims, the Salon-ites are pleased? Or maybe they simply don't consider this to be a human rights problem. After all, it's only those horrible Christians. They must be guilty, unlike these innocent little Muslims. After all, the Christians had it coming- they are not Muslim after all, and only Muslims are persecuted. I regret that that sounds suspiciously like Salon's thought process. And as for their so-called courage in publishing these disgusting pictures, they have refused to even print the 'Muhammad' cartoon- supposedly in sympathy with the feelings of the Muslim world. Nor will they show the equally horrifying images of the slaughter wreaked by Muslims on innocent Americans and others on September 11, 2001.

Where were those feelings when Hussein and his despicable offspring were comporting themselves in secret rape rooms? Where was the sympathy when Christians protested about their sacred images being profaned? Apparently Salon, like most of the MSM, have only a one-sided sympathy. I will believe the journalists' protestations of courage and even-handedness when I see an American media organ publish the 9/11 pictures and video, or even publish the Muhammad cartoons. Until then, they are merely poseurs who dare to publish only material that they know will bring no response. Abu Ghraib is over two years old. Precisely what value, other than re-inflaming our Muslim enemies, does re-publishing do? Or maybe that is their goal- they WANT the US to lose this war? Well, I have a message to the 'brave' folks at Salon, and one that they would do well to remember when they are living in dhimmitude and being executed for homosexuality- be careful what you wish for. If you keep on undermining your own culture, you might just get what you want. I hope you enjoy it. For myself, I would rather go down fighting than live in dhimmitude.

hat tip to Matt Drudge.