Bush/Cheney Embrace Nazi Terminology and Use Mercenaries

Andrew Sullivan has this post today on his blog (http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/05/verschrfte_vern.html). Like Andrew, I am appalled at what this administration has done to utterly destroy the USA's reputation around the world, not to mention the erosion of civil liberties in this country:

Here's a link to the blogs that have discussed the fact that the Bush administration's term "enhanced interrogation" was coined in 1937 to describe exactly the same techniques authorized by Bush, Cheney, Tenet, and Rumsfeld. The term was coined by the Gestapo. The original post, with historical documentation, is here. Please read it. Please send it to others. We have to wake people up to what is being done in their name. There is a better way to get intelligence, and before the goons and thugs of the Bush administration, the U.S. used to practise it. We still can return to honor and excellence in interrogation - instead of shame and failure.

Meanwhile, AmericaBlog has this story (http://www.americablog.com/2007/05/21000-british-mercenaries-working-in.html):

21,000 British mercenaries working in Iraq: That is three times the number of UK troops currently in Iraq. Just as the US has lowered the bar for recruiting, low standards are often used when recruiting mercenaries though the so-called security companies are making enormous amounts of money on this outsourcing project and the "security staff" are pulling in $1000 per day, tax free. Running a war with guns-for-hire is a strange way for democracies to win hearts and minds.

Many in the private sector have, however, expressed alarm about the types of recruits attracted by the money. Robin Horsfall, a former SAS trooper and security guard said "former soldiers are working alongside people who have been involved in nightclub security and have very limited experience. It's because a lot of contracts only demand that you can prove you have got six week's security experience".

It's interesting that while the fundies are worried about gays destroying America, their anointed Chimperator Bush is employing policies very much like those of ancient Rome as it headed for its downfall, particularly the use of mercenaries.