Inhofe – Guilty Until Proven Innocent

So today I read that notorious religious bigot Senator James Inhofe said that it was probably okay to torture Iraqi prisoners because they probably deserved it. Apparently, all the fuss is being manipulated by “humanitarian do-gooders”.

I’m probably not the only one up at this table that is more outraged by the outrage than we are by the treatment … I am also outraged that we have so many humanitarian do-gooders right now crawling all over these prisons looking for human rights violations … These prisoners, you know they’re not there for traffic violations … If they’re in cellblock 1-A or 1-B, these prisoners, they’re murderers, they’re terrorists, they’re insurgents. Many of them probably have American blood on their hands.

And then you read stuff like this:

Coalition military intelligence officials estimated that 70% to 90% of prisoners detained in Iraq since the war began last year “had been arrested by mistake”.

Of course, the esteemed Senator James Inhofe from Oklahoma is also a classy piece of work and a dangerously fanatical religious fundamentalist who has said in the Senate that God allowed Satan to smite the United States on September 11th, 2001 in punishment for failing to ethnically cleanse the Palestinians from the West Bank, that is, the Holy Land apportioned to them by God.

One of the reason I believe the spiritual door was opened for an attack against the United States of America,” Inhofe huffed, “is that the policy of our government has been to ask the Israelis, and demand it with pressure, not to retaliate in a significant way against the terrorist strikes that have been launched against them.

Surely this is being taken out of context, surely nbody in elected office could believe such delusional conspiracy theories? Let’s check Inhofe’s actual speech:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the rulers of this darkness– About which we are talking– against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places.

Make no mistake about it. This war is first and foremost a spiritual war. It is not a political war. It has never been a political war. It is not about politics. It is a spiritual war. It has its roots in spiritual conflict.
…
This war has been launched against the United States of America. It is a spiritual attack. It is an attack that was created in the mind and heart of Satan. It is a demonically inspired attack. It is not just the selfish ambitions of an egotistical leader. It is not just someone wanting to hold on to power. This is nothing more than a satanically inspired attack against America created by demonic powers through the perverted minds of terrorists.
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I believe very strongly that we ought to support Israel; that it has a right to the land. This is the most important reason; Because God said so. As I said a minute ago, look it up in the book of Genesis. It is right there on the desk. In Genesis 13:14-17, the Bible says: “The Lord said to Abram, “Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you are northward, and southward, and eastward and westward: for all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed forever … Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to thee.” That is God talking. The Bible says that Abram removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar before the Lord. Hebron is in the West Bank. It is at this place where God appeared to Abram and said, “I am giving you this land,” — the West Bank. This is not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the Word of God is true. The seven reasons, I am convinced, clearly establish that Israel has a right to the land.

When elected officials like Inhofe can spout childish illogical drivel like this then come out and say people “deserve” torture and no mainstream media calls Inhofe deranged, then then you know democracy is imperiled. There is hope though, Slate reports that Inofe is a notorious arsehole:

Widely considered one of the dumbest members of Congress, Inhofe was elected in 1994 on a campaign that he described gleefully as “God, gays, and guns.” Inhofe blocked the 1997 nomination of James Hormel, the first openly gay ambassadorial nominee. Inhofe calls Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration staffers “Gestapo bureaucrats.” In 1972, as an Oklahoma state senator, he recommended that Jane Fonda and George McGovern be hanged for treason.

Earlier here.