It has become easy for the American people to feel a sense of trust in President Barack Obama. In his demeanor, he has a calm, reassuring manner. He gives an impression of honesty.
Sadly, we have learned this week that an impression of honesty can be a facade.
Just a couple of weeks ago, President Obama told us of photographs of torture that he was seeking to keep secret, “I want to emphasize that these photos that were requested in this case are not particularly sensational.”
Yesterday, it was revealed what those photographs really show. They show American soldiers and prison guards raping prisoners and engaging in acts of sexual torture. These photographs don’t just show what was being done in Abu Ghraib. They show acts of this nature in five other American-run prisons, outside of Iraq.
These photographs are evidence of an international campaign of sexual torture planned by the U.S. government.
How on Earth could President Obama tell us that these photographs are “not particularly sensational”? How can we ever trust a word that comes out of Obama’s mouth again?
What’s more, now that Torture Amendment 1157 has been passed by the U.S. Senate, how will we know when we’re being lied to again?
