This Week in the News

This week, the Justice Department's Inspector General issued a 370 page report detailing the government's complicity in torture carried out by the CIA, civilian interrogators, and military interrogators in Iraq. The report lays out exactly how the Administration evaded the question, justified the policies and lied about its conduct until the truth leaked out. Eager to gain some insight into American reaction to our governments pro -torture turn TWN took to the highways. In Scottsdale, AZ, Byron Nelson told us, "I am sick of hearing all this from the left wing blame America crowd. Did they forget that Bill Clinton lied about committing adultery? And now they want to be all righteous...." Al Toona, of Harrisburg, PA reasoned, "Its not torture if you don't like them." Pauline McDonald of Galesburg, IL stated, " I am prefectly confident that our use of torture has saved countless American lives. When Mr. Cheney decides that we can hear the details of all the plots torture has foiled, he will tell us. See how you feel then smarty pants."

This week, former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan released a book in which he states that the Bush Administration engaged in a "propaganda campaign" to support an" unnecessary war, '" called President Bush "incurious" "self deluded" and even mentions that Bush told his advisors that he could not remember whether he used cocaine. Rather than refute any of McClellan's allegations, the Bush Administration has reacted by publicly portraying McClellan as deluded or a third string lineman on the Bush Team. Said Karl Rove, "Scott was never at the center of things. I mean it was not like we relied on him to deliver our message to the American people." Current Press Secretary Dana Perino even fell on the sword for the Administration: "Listen, I hold the same job and Scott held and I don't know sh-t. Seriously, dumb as a squirrel. I mean are we at war? Is there something going on with the economy? I just get up here read the teleprompter, do my sexy-but-aloof- partisan- chick- thing and the go to lunch. Seriously, who is the Karl Rove everybody keeps talking about? Is he the press room caterer?" For his part, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten refuses to comment on McClellan but sneezes the word "hermaphrodite" into his hand every time the name comes up.

This week, over 100 countries finalized a treaty to ban cluster bombs. When detonated, cluster bombs release a cluster of smaller "bomblets," which often do not explode and remain active even after a conflict has ended. Cluster bombs are responsible for a slew of civilian injuries in war torn areas. The US, Russia, China, Israel, Pakistan and India did not sign the treaty. All claimed that cluster bombs were integral to their military plans. Said a spokesperson for the Department of Defense, "We are in total victory lap mode. When your brand is selling as well as ours, why offer discounts?"