This Was The Week That Was #52
May 2 --May 8

Howard J. Ehrlich


While the massive abuse of persons imprisoned in Abu Ghraib has been the focus of world
attention, Seymour Hersh writing in the New Yorker points out that a large number, perhaps as
high as 60%, of the prisoners were Iraqi civilians who had been imprisoned for months with no
charges declared and with no opportunity to have their imprisonment reviewed.

Doublethink..... The rhetoric of conservative response to the torture and abuse of prisoners in Iraq
included Bush’s reference to the torture as “humiliation,” while Rush Limbaugh described the
events as a “hazing.” General Karpinski, who was the head of of Iraqi prisons, declared that she
really didn’t know what was going on because “military intelligence officers discouraged her
from entering the cell blocks at Abu Graib.” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General
Richard Myers summed it all up invoking that great cliche of political scandals saying that this
public attention shows “that the system works.”`

Who will guard the guards?....Violence, rape, brutal beatings and the sadistic imposition of pain
and humiliation are not uncommon in American prisons. The irony of the exposures of
conditions in Guantanamo and Abu Graib is that it may focus some attention on the American
prison system and its cruelties. (NYTimes).

In the midst of all the hubbub concerning military prisons, the White House asked Congress to
authorize an additional $25 billion for the military starting October 1. This is in addition to the
military budget of $40 billion. (NYTimes)

The assault on Cuba continues....The president announced his plan to use specially fit Air Force
planes to fly over Cuba broadcasting anti-Castro, pro-American propaganda. In addition, Shrub
is limiting travel and money transfers to Cuba while providing $36 million to right-wing Cuban
Americans. The intent is to disrupt the likely succession of Raul Castro.

Corporations don’t breathe...A study released this week indicated that the leading air polluters are
owned by corporations which are major contributors to Shrub, as well as being major lobbyists.
These top polluters met at least seventeen times with the vice-president’s energy tak force.
(environmentalintegrity.org).

Conspiracy theorists of the world unite....The New York Times reports that six air traffic
controllers who dealt with two of the 9/11 hijacked airliners made a tape recording describing the
events. The tape was destroyed by a supervisor.

And now for Plan C.....A Fooled and Drugged Administration (FDA) overruled both a staff
committee and a scientific advisory board in refusing to allow the “Plan B” morning after pill to
be sold over the counter. It remains available by prescription.
Charm City news.....In Baltimore this week a construction worker unearthed 12 aging high-
powered bombs presumably abandoned after World War II. The General Accounting Office
reported that there are about 2300 sites across the country that likely have old explosive weapons
and bombs. (Baltimore Sun)

One nation under....The Gallup Poll this week found that 91 per cent of Americans want to keep
“under God” as part of the Pledge of Allegiance. If the Supreme Court decides that the the words
“under God” are unconstitutional in the Pledge, three out of four people said that they would be
upset. (GallupPoll.com)

Michael Moore’s new film, Fahrenheit 9/11, presently has no distributor. The Disney Company
has blocked its subsidiary, Miramax, from distributing the documentary which is highly critical
of the president. Moore’s previous film, Bowling for Columbine, grossed $22 million and
censorship rather than sales appears to be the issue. (NYTimes)

This week in history. You may have noticed that this is our first anniversary, issue 52 of our
weekly news review. Next week, I go on vacation and I leave you with the this thought from
George Orwell: “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”