To the editor:

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Senate Republican Policy Committee has asked Bush to “reconsider financial support for the (Red Cross) after its criticism of how U.S. forces treat their detainees abroad.”

That’s like a student threatening a teacher after earning a bad grade. It’s also blackmail and would only hurt those already in dire circumstances.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is an “impartial, neutral and independent organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of war and internal violence and to provide them with assistance. It directs and coordinates relief activities … (and) endeavors to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.”

They work confidentially with corrupt and violent governments in order to maintain communication and access to prisoners. They observe and report. They help individuals and have no political agenda, since to do otherwise would be counterproductive. Yeah, what a bunch of freedom-hating Frenchies!

But wait. We’ve all seen the horrible pictures. Torture and humiliation of guilty or innocent prisoners/detainees is criminal. And more than enough to inspire hatred toward the United States.

Bush called the Amnesty International report, which corroborates ICRC findings, “absurd.” Cheney was “offended.” It IS absurd, and we should ALL be offended, that those running this country sent our brave young servicemen and women into harm’s way without valid reason or planning, and then point menacing fingers at those who report on the atrocities and war crimes that result.

Christy Kennedy,

Lawrence