Salon.com reports that Torture Begins At The Top. In an article reprinted by Truthout, Joe Conason reports on mounting evidence that, while the Intelligence community voiced strenuous objections, and even as Abu Ghraib was rocking the nation, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld continued to advocate the use of torture, coercion, and inhumane treatment of prisoners by military personnel.

It would appear that, under Secretary Rumsfeld's leadership, the Defense Department considers itself above law, decency, and other such trifles. I have seen reports claiming that the Secretary is delusional. However that may be, his view of reality is undeniably odd. His department can perform torture. His department can ignore national and international norms with regard to pollution, worker health and safety, and a whole host of other pesky and irrelevant (in its sole judgment) matters. And, anyone who criticizes him or his department is conveniently labeled a traitor. It certainly appears to a non-specialist that he has delusions, not merely of grandeur, but of something approaching godhood.

Some time back, MoveOn among others suggested that Secretary Rumsfeld should be removed. While of course agreeing, I nonetheless thought at the time that a petition or other grassroots movement for his removal would be futile. It might still be futile, but I think the time for such a movement is now ripe. The secretary is not the incompetent buffoon I long thought him. He is an extremely dangerous man; not least because he has tremendous influence over the President, who apparently thinks he can do no wrong.

Indeed, the Defense Department is only one, if the most glaring, example of this government's modus operandi. All of Pres. Bush's closest advisors are violently reactionary and so insular that one wonders how they avoid vanishing into their own navels. The President himself seems unable to cope, not only with opinions that differ from his, but also with reality that differs from his perceptions and desires. As an illustration, I saw a headline yesterday to the effect that Mr. Bush plans to freeze domestic spending. If true, this action would free up great sums for his and Rummy's Excellent Adventure in Iraq. Never mind that Iraqis don't want them there. Never mind that ever increasing numbers of Americans don't want them there. He and Rummy (his own pet name for the Defense Secretary) want to be there and to carry on with their game.

If it weren't so deadly serious and so frightening, the whole, government-wide denial fest would be very funny. But, it's not funny. These people, who run our country and have a great deal of power in the rest of the world, deny the necessity for responsibility and morality. It's terribly depressing. As a friend said to me the other day, I don't know how we're going to survive another four years.