But, please, can we put to rest the myth that the USA is “the liberator of people from oppressive regimes”? The Shah of Iran, Marcos, Somoza, Batista, Duvalier, Pinochet, and a whole host of other murderously oppressive regimes have been installed and supported by the USA, often deposing democratically elected governments in the process.

Ever since the USA went imperial in th elate 19th century the USA government has supported despots so long as the despot ensured access to their country’s markets for USA business.

Doing so, the USA has trained members of the despots’ internal security police and military in the art of torture.

I think Administration of Torture is one example of a serious investigation. Or the potential beginning of an even more serious investigation.

That said, a book like this would never be published in a true tyranny. As soon as a US administration starts banning indictments like these then, yes, true freedom in America will be dead.

I am acutely aware of the political side of things and I know that there is plenty of scapegoating (I recently saw a documentary in which the convicted “bad apples” gave their version of the story) and I know a lot of it has to do with preserving the image of a noble America. All of these things I have hinted at in my review.

At the same time I do believe hope is important and that there are plenty of Americans who do feel uncomfortable with what their administration has been doing. And, yes, this is my naive side speaking. But I know from personal experience that being naive and fighting mentally against “evil” is important, no matter how useless it seems with regards to concrete results.

To condemn a whole population, wrongly in my opinion, for the actions of their administration and for the support this administration is getting from a part of that very same population would mean that you put the population as a whole in a corner from which they can no longer escape. And there is always a tomorrow. I like to keep a window open to that tomorrow. Even when it seems futile most of the time.

Regarding “proof that the American democracy is still alive and kicking and that we can still look to America as an example of true freedom”.

Doesn´t that depend a little on what happens in the next few months and years? Meaning will anybody above a few “bad apple soldiers” be held responsible?

If not, couldn´t a future American President then just simply point at this precedent and do the same again?
Redefine torture, add signing statements to laws, secret Presidential findings, respond to any court challenge with the “state secrets” defense etc.?

I´m a bit afraid that a majority of Americans including politicians simply don´t want to hear about it. Kind of like “Americans are always good and noble, so we wouldn´t really torture”.
And if it´s done, it happens only to very bad people. The ticking time-bomb scenario.

The public knew about Abu Ghraib in 2004 like you said. Do you see any serious investigations into what and how it happened? Did it hurt Bush or Rumsfeld? Or Yoo?

Look at the Democrats in Congress.
What I see is Democrats afraid of being called soft on terror. Remember Pelosi in late 2006 after the Democrats won the election? Impeachment is off the table, she said.

So to me it looks like:
- many Americans don´t want their illusions shattered
- the Democrats want to win in 2008
–> nobody will be held responsible.
Maybe I´m cynical but that´s my impression.
And that isn´t my definition of an “an example of true freedom”. Sorry.