Today's Times Picayune Editorial Cartoon

[Jerry]

Did anyone else scratch their head over what the hell today's TP Ed. cartoon was supposed to infer?

There was Donald Rumsfeld signing his new book and someone with a cape and hood standing on a box.

I emailed the TP Editorial page editor and this is what came back:

"Hi,

I believe the hooded figure is a reference to Abu Ghraib. What I've seen about the book indicates that Rumsfeld is distancing himself from what happened there.

I agree that the cartoon is a bit confusing. We might have been better off choosing another one.

Thanks for writing,
Terri"

[Dilfan]

I figured it had something to do with the whole torture/waterboarding thing, but, to me, it's just a bit too "deep" to be depicted as a cartoon.

[#7 throw away to do list.]

http://cdn.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/01/torture_719b2.jpg

[flyinbayou]

http://cdn.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/01/torture_719b2.jpg

Ahh, I get it. A foreign combatant that you believe is being tortured by the US military. Ahhh. How clever!
Hmm, that person still seems to have his head attached to his body. Write me when you can find a picture that shows a prisoner of the US military, oh wait, better yet, someone non-military, having their head brutally sawed off. Or, or, perhaps a US soldier tortured and burned to death and then dragged through the streets behind a jeep as the bodies get pummeled with rocks and such by the enemy.
I see where you stand, #7. Crystal.

[#7 throw away to do list.]

i did not see the cartoon but i knew the well publicized photo. i was under the impression jerry had not seen the photo in question and was questioning what a person in a hood and cape had to do w/rumsfeld. i posted a picture and now you see where i stand? we could nuke the entire middle east as far as i care. lighten up.

[flyinbayou]

I stand corrected and owe you an apology then, #7. I thought that was your response to the cartoon that Jerry was talking about.
And, I agree with you. We could make that place glass and it wouldn't bother me.
Sorry again.

[Annie Laurie]

Donald Rumsfield, Known and Unknown, Part XII, Wartime Dentention,
Washington, D.C., April 28, 2004

Referring to Abu Ghraib,

Page 545

"The ramifications were so great that as the head of this department of three
million people, I felt compelled to step forward to take responsibility for the
institutional failure. As I began to come to terms with what had happened
at Abu Ghraib, the events left me feeling punched in the gut."

Page 547

"On May 5, at 10:00 in the morning, one week after the photos became
public, I walked into the Oval Office with a handwritten note. "Mr President,"
it said, "I want you to know that you have my resignation as Secretary of
Defense any time you feel it would be helpful to you." "I told him that
if the controversy over the abuse kept growing, I might not be effective in
managing the Department. I also said that I believe someone needed
to be held accountable."

Of course, there is considerable more detail about Abu Ghraib....but Jerry,
I thought you might write Terri back and tell her/him to read the book.
Our newspaper at work.....I take the paper also.....but have been
disappointed in the contents for some time.
Annie Laurie