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[Sergius]

Anyone remember the State Department spokesperson PJ Crowley, who was defending the government actions and everything being done about Wikileaks, etc? Well, he came out a few days ago and kinda suggested that perhaps, kinda, maybe torturing Manning wasn't very nice and wasn't such a smart idea. And guess what happened: Obama fired him. Yes, the US goverment gets angry at people that diss torture. Why can't we have fun anymore?

Don't diss the torture, yo dawg, it gets results! Waterboarding and isolated confinement and miniature american flags for everybody!

[GlyphGryph]

So does it actually matter who we vote for anymore?

[Phmcw]

So does it actually matter who we vote for anymore?

Yup, If you vote for the republicans you're masochist, if you vote for the democrats you're dumb.

[RedKing]

Meh....it's more about everybody staying on the same page. I mean, there's just an unwritten rule that as a member of the executive branch, you don't criticize other elements of that same branch in public.

The last thing you want is a public pissing match between the State Department and the Pentagon, two chunks of the government which are classic rivals.

Still, it's disappointing. I had hoped he'd just get a verbal slap, because the action sends exactly the wrong message, as indicated by this thread.

[Leafsnail]

It's not directly disagreeing with the executive branch, though.  Pretty sure the Obama administration was against torture at some point.

On another note, I found this article interesting.

The marines confirmed that Bradley Manning was made to relinquish his boxer shorts for about seven hours due to a "situationally driven" event.

It's not so much that it's cruel, but more that I can't think of any "situationally driven" event that would require you to give up your underwear.

[lemon10]

Don't diss the torture, yo dawg, it gets results! Waterboarding and isolated confinement and miniature american flags for everybody!

Thats stupid, everyone needs life size american flags, the miniatures are for wimps.

[RedKing]

It's not directly disagreeing with the executive branch, though.  Pretty sure the Obama administration was against torture at some point.

But then that implies that the Pentagon is directly acting in opposition to the wishes of the Commander-in-Chief. Which is why you don't want these kind of fights in public, because:

A. It implies that the President can't control his own people.
B. It leads to very uncomfortable questions from the press which try to get the President (or his spokesman) to publicly pick a side and alienate whichever agency, department, etc. is on the losing side of the equation.

On another note, I found this article interesting.

The marines confirmed that Bradley Manning was made to relinquish his boxer shorts for about seven hours due to a "situationally driven" event.

It's not so much that it's cruel, but more that I can't think of any "situationally driven" event that would require you to give up your underwear.

Perhaps if they were so soiled that they weren't fit for wearing? I dunno....I have little sympathy for Manning being incarcerated and grilled, but this is beginning to look outside the pale. Even in the context of the military, where they have a pretty free hand to deal with their own as they see fit.

[Phmcw]

You are not supposed to fire a state dep. spokesperson easily.
Especially as what he's saying is painfully obvious, Manning's condition of detentions are just ridiculous.
I wouldn't allow Ben Laden to be handled like that. Strip him to sleep? What are they trying to do?
This just damage US image for no reason.

Obama is the harshest president on whistle-blowers ever.

[GlyphGryph]

A. It implies that the President can't control his own people.

Or that he endorses what they are doing. Either way, it's making the president, and all of us, look bad, and this makes him look even worse.

[EmperorNuthulu]

You know if we let the Cthulhu party run things then there would be less torture *hint hint*, wait, that maybe more.

[Qinetix]

so who the americans will vote next year?

[Criptfeind]

I am sorta on the fence about this, on one hand, the op is a pretty blatant twisting of  a slightly twisted article, on the other hand though, I am not nearly optimistic enough to believe his resignation was entirely of his own accord.

Yeah... Going to join the general consensus right now that him quitting was past what was needed.

[Taricus]

You know if we let the Cthulhu party run things then there would be less torture *hint hint*, wait, that maybe more.

No, that's ritual sacrifices you're thinking of...

[Sergius]

I am sorta on the fence about this, on one hand, the op is a pretty blatant twisting of  a slightly twisted article, on the other hand though, I am not nearly optimistic enough to believe his resignation was entirely of his own accord.

"Washington (CNN) – P.J. Crowley abruptly resigned Sunday as State Department spokesman over controversial comments he made about the Bradley Manning case.

Sources close to the matter said the resignation, first reported by CNN, came under pressure from the White House, where officials were furious about his suggestion that the Obama administration is mistreating Manning, the Army private who is being held in solitary confinement in Quantico, Virginia, under suspicion that he leaked highly classified State Department cables to the website WikiLeaks."

Source: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/13/state-departments-p-j-crowley-stepping-down/

Blatantly twisting? I think you're blatantly twisting the OP.

You don't "fire" a high profile government official. You "ask for his resignation". Potato, potatoe.

[Nadaka]

Obama only said he was against torture before election. everything he has done since then has been pro torture.

As for who am I going to vote for?

Right now the main choices are mild fascism (Dem), strong fascism (Rep) and crazy fascism (Tea)?

I think I'll pencil in Cthulhu, just to make a point.