Osamaddities

[captainsblog]

The Gospel reading in our church yesterday morning, as in most mainline Christian sanctuaries under the rubric of the Common Lectionary, was the "Doubting Thomas" lesson from John's version of the post-Resurrection story.  How odd was it, then, that barely 24 hours later, assorted wingnuts were questioning whether Bin Laden had really been killed, many of them coming damn (and I do mean damn) close to quoting the Gospel passage about not believing until they saw the actual body.  As one caller into one of these hate shows put it (likely resulting in the firing of the call screener), "So you're basically saying that the SEALs and Rangers and other boots on the ground were lying about what they did, is that it?"  The nutty talk show host had no reply to that.

It's also bizarre that Osama's death came 66 years to the day after Hitler's. If not coincidental, someone in this operation has a pretty damn good sense of style.

Just as sad, and yet just as predictable, was listening to the right-wing pundits fumbling the hot football all day. This operation justifies the waterboarding and other Bush tactics!, they say, except that, um, even Rumsfeld himself had to admit that they didn't get any intelligence leading up to this capture through such measures before the Obama administration suspended their use.

In keeping with the theme of the only collection in our home of Rummy's pearls of wisdom, Pieces of Intelligence, I can only offer the following:

It is true that some
information that came from
normal interrogation approaches

did lead to information
that was beneficial 
but not harsh  and not waterboarding.

I never thought he could write a good limerick, but then again I never thought Dick Cheney could blow a lawyer's face off, so there ya go.

Comments

[firynze.livejournal.com]

Good for whoever made the "so you're calling the SEALs liars?" comment.

[angledge.livejournal.com]

I hadn't made the Doubting Thomas connection. We had an amazing sermon on the topic, & hotpantsgalore was actually with me (voluntarily??) at church. She liked the sermon, said she had never heard the story of Doubting Thomas (!!!!), & generally seemed to enjoy the service.

Baby steps.

As for Osama, the wing-nuts don't actually deal with reality. If we had a body, it would be a body double. But I do like putting them on the spot & asking them if they believe the entire military chain from the SEAL team on up is lying. C'mon wing-nuts, let's see you say something bad about the military (other than the Commander-in-Chief)!

[bill_sheehan.livejournal.com]

Darn, I completely missed my favorite reading: the only disciple who made a lick of sense.

I need more time in the day, damn it.

My favorite response to the ghouls was from Facebook friend Armistead Maupin, author of the Tales of the City books::
"If you clicked on a link to see pictures of a man who'd been shot in the head, I'm not sure I want you as a friend. Yes, even THAT man."