The 9/11 committee was 'supposed' to address the question of why the Bush administration didn't have better knowlege of the plans being made for the attacks. Now that it's becoming apparent that the intelligence community was crippled by policies laid down by the Clinton administration, the committee no longer serves to embarrass Bush, and will soon fade from media attention. i.e. How long has it been since the last headlines about their work?

As for Abu Gharib: The difference between the Americans now running that horrific dungeon, and the Saddamites who built it, is this: the Americans are being held accountable, and there will be public investigations, and punishment of those who deserve it. I sense that Secretary Rumsfield is genuinely shocked by events that occured under his watch. He will certainly do what he can to clear it up. And I think he may tender his resignation.

I picture the former keepers of this Hell-hole chuckling at the abuses that are being shown, and roaring with laughter to see the way that America is being pilloried for actions that pale in comparison with their own.

All societies have bad people in them. The worth of a society is shown by how those people are dealt with.