Never pass up an opportunity to slander your country

That about summarizes John Kerry’s public career since its inception. Consider the Senator’s latest pronouncement on the Iraqi prisoner situation: “The horrifying abuse of Iraqi prisoners, which the world has now seen, is absolutely unacceptable and inexcusable. And the response of the administration, certainly the Pentagon, has been slow and inappropriate.” As one of Glenn Reynolds’ readers responds:
“Slow and inappropriate?!? It was the DoD that started investigating this before anyone else knew about it. CBS didn’t break this story, the DoD did, and they started conducting a proper investigation that could lead to criminal charges under the UCMJ, which is exactly what was called for. What would would the good Senator consider to be a better ‘quick and appropriate response’? Summary punishment before all the facts are in? That would be a violation of the soldiers UCMJ and civil rights. But I guess it would be alright to violate their rights, just so long as we are not violating those of Saddam’s former thugs.”
To make drive home the point, Reynolds presents this portion of a time-line developed by The Mudville Gazette:
Dec/Jan timeframe: A soldier, recognizing the behavior at Abu Ghraib as criminal, reports it. Army CID investigates the allegations of abuse at Al Ghraib and apparently establishes the case against most of the currently accused, including Army Staff Sergeant Ivan L. Frederick II.
Late Dec/Early Jan: The three members of the 320th MP Battalion awaiting courts martial (scheduled for late Jan) elect non-judicial punishment in lieu of court martial. They are discharged from military service, two have their ranks lowered, and all three are ordered to forfeit pay for two months.
Jan: General Karpinski was formally admonished and quietly suspended, and a major investigation into the Army

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