The Feld-Blog

Well I think the US is 0 for 2 today in its foreign policy today. Hamas has officially revived its 'Death to Israel' stance launching at least 15 rockets into Israel and ending a 16-month truce. And conditions have gotten so bad at GITMO that three detainees committed suicide.

It just seems as if American policy towards terrorism is sputtering out of our government's control. This administration once thought that once the Palestinian people loosed themselves from Arafat's stubborn leadership, democratic elections would free the reasonable, moderate Palestinian population. Well.... This year, they elected a Hamas-led government who refuse to recognize Israel or disband the terrorist wing of their party. For a time, they remained relatively quiet - neither embracing the reforms many hoped the responsibility of government would force on them nor actively calling for Israel's destruction or its people. Now, though Hamas has renewed its purposeful, offensive assault on the people of Israel and its call for the destruction of the only true democracy in the MidEast.

This administration once thought - and I truly think they believed this - that they'd be able to detain suspected terrorists without abusing them, thus keeping America safer. But it has turned out, with our armed forces stretched so thinly across the globe and with a profound shortage of legal officers to oversee interrogations, GITMO has erupted in scandal. Eastern European Black sites and Abu Graib have forever marred the face of America - a face that once stood for civil rights... a face that once stood for an ideology... a face that once stood for freedom from oppression. The UN has already condemned Guantanamo. Hungerstrikes spring up so often it seems they never stop. And now conditions have gotten so bad that three 'detainees' have committed suicide.

America cannot force democracy before a country is ready for it. We cannot abuse the rights of some in an attempt to preserve the rights of others. The dedication to a high standard of ethics that America used to exhibit - the belief in inalienable rights on which our country was founded are US strengths not US weaknesses. I believe that respecting the rights we all deserve by being human is what keeps America Strong. My fear is that this administration sees respecting rights as merely an obstacle to security.

To win the war on terror, we must reclaim the moral high ground. We cannot win by sinking to the level of terrorists. Morality will be, perhaps, the most vital weapon in our war against the terrorists. But we need someone who can wield this weapon effectively. Right now... I'm not sure we have that.