July 8, 2009 archive

(Thanks for the promotion NPK!)

(Now cross-posted on Kos)

We all know that in January 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, transforming the Civil War by adding the abolition of slavery to the goal of preserving the Union.

But just a few months later, on April 24, 1863, Lincoln issued another, lesser-known proclamation, putting into effect a Code of Military Conduct for the Union Armies, known as General Orders No. 100.  The author of the Code was Francis Lieber, a German immigrant who had been wounded at the Battle of Waterloo.

Article 16 of the General Orders leaps out as dramatically relevant today.   It states in part:

Military necessity does not admit of cruelty – that is, the infliction of suffering for the sake of suffering or for revenge, nor of maiming or wounding except in fight, nor of torture to extort confessions.

“Necessity does not admit of cruelty.”  Think about that for a moment.  No matter how serious the circumstances, no matter how dangerous the threat, there is no justification for cruelty, and its savage partner, torture.

Gosh, I know there are a lot of important stories crowding the news right now — after all, Michael Jackson is still dead and all, but it’s amazing that I literally had to go hunt for this story.

It’s also amazing to me how the election of Barack Obama sure shut up the the whole “anti-war crowd”.  (Don’t you love being called “anti-war” because you’re against illegal, unnecessary war?  Right, I’m so anti-war that means I’m a pacifist, right?  It’s like being called “anti-hamburger” when you’re really against hamburger that’s tainted with e-coli.)

Anywya, here’s a story that you would think would be, should be a rather large and important story:   the fact that yesterday, Monday, 7 United States military troops were killed in Obama’s new Vietnam.  

Obama’s now got serious American blood on his hands.

And for what?

General Petraes sorta slipped up and admitted that there’s no more Al Queda in Afghanistan.  But nobody cares about that, either, “the Taliban” is interchangeable with “Al Queda” now, in the minds of the public and the bought-and-paid-for schills who feed us our “news”.

So we’re at war with the Taliban.  And our sons and daughters are being killed.  Great.

When Dan Froomkin was dumped by ex-journalism source turned dinosaur and failing propaganda rag The Washington Post a couple of weeks ago, I added myself to his his email update list to keep track of his moves, and earlier today the following was emailed to his list, and also posted at http://busharchive.froomkin.com/goodbye.htm

A Special Message From Dan Froomkin

I’m delighted to announce that starting later this month, I’ll be taking on the duties of Washington Bureau Chief and Blogger for The Huffington Post.

This is a wonderful opportunity for me. It’s a marvelous platform — Arianna Huffington has built a large and thriving community of readers by adhering to the best principles of old and new media. And my new job gives me a chance to branch out a bit, while holding firm to my commitment to accountability journalism. Now I’ll have a chance to work as part of a great team, and do a bit more of my own reporting as well as commentary and media criticism..

I’ll still be writing frequently, but I’ll also be guiding the Huffington Post’s accomplished, enthusiastic and adventurous reporters; helping them continue covering Washington the way it should be covered. The extraordinary response to my departure from The Washington Post once again illustrated how much readers hunger for a new – or perhaps I should say old – method of political reporting: One that doesn’t rely on stenography or “splitting the difference,” but involves knowledgeable and trusted reporters calling things as they see them, speaking the truth — and letting the chips fall where they may. We’ll also be finding new and exciting ways to work with citizen journalists to access their wisdom and knowledge.

I look forward to working with all my new colleagues to hold the powerful accountable, expose corruption, explain how Washington really works —  and write about politics and government not as if it were just a game, but recognizing that it matters profoundly to every one of us.

I’m eager to hear your reaction and advice, as always. E-mail me at [email protected].

Salon blogger Glenn Greenwald has more about my move.

And one final note: I will continue serving in a part-time capacity as deputy editor of NiemanWatchdog.org.

Dan Froomkin’s White House Watch has ended its run on washingtonpost.com.

Read my final post and find my Obama archives here.

Browse my Bush archives here.

Become my Facebook friend.

Visit my other Web site, NiemanWatchdog.org.

E-mail me at [email protected]