Limbaugh: Iraq torture all in good fun.

[Black Dog]

Now, I've long held the opinion that Rush Limbaugh is a pustulous boil on the ass of America's cultural discourse. But the pill-popping pundits really gon eoverboard this time, stating in a recent broadcast that American GI's abuse of Iraq detainees was just "blowing off steam" and the soldiers were "having a good time."

"This is no different than what happens at the Skull and Bones initiation and we're going to ruin people's lives over it and we're going to hamper our military effort, and then we are going to really hammer them because they had a good time. You know, these people are being fired at every day. I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You of heard of need to blow some steam off?" - Rush Limbaugh, May 3, 2004

The official US Army report listed all the abuses committed at the prison. "Blowing off steam" apparently now includes:

Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees;

Threatening detainees with a loaded pistol

Pouring cold water on naked detainees;

Beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair;

Threatening male detainees with rape;

Allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell;

Sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick.

Using military working dogs to frighten and intimidate detainees with threats of attack, and in one instance actually biting a detainee.

Punching, slapping, and kicking detainees; jumping on their naked feet;

Videotaping and photographing naked male and female detainees

Forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing;

Forcing detainees to remove their clothing and keeping them naked for several days at a time;

Forcing naked male detainees to wear women’s underwear;

Forcing groups of male detainees to masturbate themselves while being photographed and videotaped;

Arranging naked male detainees in a pile and then jumping on them;

Positioning a naked detainee on a MRE Box, with a sandbag on his head, and attaching wires to his fingers, toes, and penis to simulate electric torture;

Writing “I am a Rapest” (sic) on the leg of a detainee alleged to have forcibly raped a 15-year old fellow detainee, and then photographing him naked;

Placing a dog chain or strap around a naked detainee’s neck and having a female Soldier pose for a picture;

A male MP guard having sex with a female detainee (rape)

Using military working dogs (without muzzles) to intimidate and frighten detainees, and in at least one case biting and severely injuring a detainee;

Taking photographs of dead Iraqi detainees.

Unbelievable. :angry:

[KrustyKidd]

Rush has deeper problems than his hopefully beaten pill addiction.

He has nuerous faults that even myself, who usually finds myself on the Right in most arguments observe stand out annoyingly. First and foremost he has an ego as big as Texas and never shuts up. 'Open Line Friday turns into three hours of him and a repititious monologue over and over again interspaced with one or two calls.

He talks before he thinks, or as he thinks which leads him to have many gaffs, his pride doesn't allow him to correct himself and subsequently, those who are loyal listeners begin to take his error as fact or a convoluted theology of some kind.

He really isn't that bright and a listener will note that over the course of a three hour show the same words, phrases and ideas are being said in the same way over and over ad nausium. I listen to him quite often when i am on the road as Dr Laura isn't much better and find that quite often, a caller with a valid point stumbles the champ quite easily and he has to retreat into either a commercial or a declaration of how the argument was irrelevent anyhow.here

The last fault is severe though, he is a die hard partisan for the Republican party. No matter what the issue or sense/non sense the issue makes , it is always going to have one outcome on his show. Republicans are right and the Democrats are wrong, no Grey, just Black and White. That is the reason why he and probably most people in politics are idiots. As a Democratic example I give you Kerry and his bid for the US presidency, no plan, no policies, just to discredit Bush and run on that ticket knowing that most people on the Left hate Bush enough to vote for him even though so far, he stands for nothing..

Now that is not to say that Rush is not without merit, frequently I learn things before they are reported in the mainstream news or arguements put forth that do make sense and persue them using valid sources to verify. Three hours of Rush though, you would have to be a Ditto Head to handle it every day.

And make sure you go visit Pembroke Online as well. It's a cool site with lots to offer local people and tourists alike.

[Black Dog]

As a Democratic example I give you Kerry and his bid for the US presidency, no plan, no policies, just to discredit Bush and run on that ticket knowing that most people on the Left hate Bush enough to vote for him even though so far, he stands for nothing..

Frankly, F**k Kerry. A vote for the Democrats is a vote for the Republicans. They all work for the same bosses. Hell, Bush and Kerry are brothers in Skull and Bones, which say spretty much everything you need to know about diversity in American politics.

Most left-wing Americans I know are smart enough to realize there is no fundamental differnce between the Democrats and Republicans (as one put it "They both screw you, the Democrats just buy you dinner first.") The only reason they're voting for Kerry is because Bush is so awful that pretty much anyone woul dbe an improvement.

[KrustyKidd]

The only reason they're voting for Kerry is because Bush is so awful that pretty much anyone woul dbe an improvement.

Kerry and Bush share the same views on Iraq so if that is the issue your friends are basing their decisions on they need to rethink in a severe way. Kerry has no plan for the economy and nothing new anywhere else. He has 'flip flopped' on so many issues that nobody knows where he stands. Why would they not go for Nader? He at least defines himself. I mean, if Bush is bad then what is Kerry? A complete unknown as he changes stands and a hypocrite to boot.

[Moderate Centrist]

Black Dog -

Rush Limbaugh has about as much credibility as Barbara Streisand. I think the best way to deal with his ilk is not to comment or include his nonsense in serious discussions.

As to the torture allegations - they're only hurting the US further in credibility and ability to maintain a presence in Iraq.

[kaper1999]

that is if us has any credibility to begin with-lol

[Black Dog]

Kerry and Bush share the same views on Iraq so if that is the issue your friends are basing their decisions on they need to rethink in a severe way.

Funny, but Bush's recent shift in Iraq policy (Iraqification, increasing multinational involvement, disengagement) came on the heels of k\Kerry's proposed strategy of Iraqification, increasing multinational involvement and disengagement.

Why would they not go for Nader? He at least defines himself. I mean, if Bush is bad then what is Kerry? A complete unknown as he changes stands and a hypocrite to boot.

More progressives would vote for Nader if he actually stood a chance. However, the U.S. political system is hopelessly slanted against third-party or independant candidates. In a two party state, you are always forced into a choice between the lesser of two evils.

Kerry, in this case, is an unknown, but people seem to be operating on the assumption that he could not possibly be worse than the Bush, one of the most hypocritical presidents in history, and his perfidious cadre of neocon slugs.