Boots? That's sick!

Isn't Obama's mouthpiece Robert Gibbs promise to "keep the boot on the throat" of British Petroleum a disturbing choice of words? I wonder what kind of people think like that? Boot on the throat is an image of the conqueror, who may let the enemy live or simply crush the larynx, depending on the conqueror's whim. Think Assyrian tyrants or Old Testament despots who made conquered kings beg for scraps under the table. So what kind of discussion that goes on in the Obama Whitehouse? High fives all around, British Petroleum is in a completely indefensible position so we can anything we want to them.

Meanwhile, captured terrorists are treated as criminal defendants with no particular animus against them. Does the administration really think BP is more an enemy than the "underwear bomber"?

Back during the Abu Ghraib torture scandal two things disturbed me. First, that the military in general was painted as torturers. I think that the activities at Abu Ghraib were the exception. Second, where do you find people who would ever think of parading a naked man about on a dog leash? That's pretty sick.

Thinking of stepping on your enemies throat once he (it) is down is also sick.