Generally, I get annoyed when people insist on tempering their outrage over Abu Ghraib by pointing out how much worse the atrocities were on Saddam Hussein’s watch. After all, we’re a 228-year old democracy; our standards are nothing like Iraq’s. Our successes and failures must be judged according to our own history, not to silly comparisons to the worst tyrant to roam the planet since the days of Pol Pot. Everyone knows we’re nothing like the Hussein Administration, so any comparisons and contrasts drawn between us and them are making a point that doesn’t need to be made. Right?

Wrong. Apparently, German anti-Americanism (but I repeat myself) has reached such extreme levels in recent years that occasional Saddam vs. Bush comparsions do need to be made, abroad if not at home. Here, the distinction is obvious: Seymour Hersh writes a credulous story based on hearsay from an accused guard’s attorney, making all sorts of wild, and probably inaccurate, predictions. So what do we do about it? We make fun of Hersh for being an idiot, and move on. That’s it. No prison camps Hersh, no hard labor, no kidnapped relatives. We certainly don’t videotape ourselves sawing his head off or, worse still, saw somebody else’s head off and blame it all on him. Hell, we don’t even make the guy put pantyhose on his head, strip naked, or walk around on a leash held by an ugly female guard who claims her superiors ordered her to attend an orgy. Nothing. But apparently, some Europeans don’t quite grasp that. Below is the text of the linked entry, followed by an English translation:

(more…)

Michele provides yet another reason why the Yankees™ are generic ball club that plays half of its games in the Bronx is nonessential.

Kim du Toit has the latest horror story (hat tip: Spoons) resulting from Pizza Hut’s moronic policy which cost Ronald Honeycutt his job.

I’m joining Kim’s boycott of Pizza Hut, and you should, too. Be sure to contact them so they’ll know you’re boycotting them because of their bad policy, not their bad pizza.