Haditha

I scribbled the following last summer after viewing Frontline: Inside Iran:

Why doesn't Mr. Bush speak more about honest government, respect for commitments, and transparency before the eyes of the world? When nations make declarations to the world, they must be accurate.

Great nations have no need to harass foreign reporters with security services, interrogate them or confiscate their materials. When the press examines the US, they expose our occasional warts (Abu Ghraib), but free access allows a nation's greatness to shine the world over.

Incidents, like the one in Haditha, highlight the sensibilities of the US public. The VAST majority of Americans abhor such activities and, when made aware, demand they cease. This directly contrasts with terrorism which deliberately and systematically targets civilians.

That brings me back to Iran, the world's leading supporter of terrorism (according to the State Department). Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Peoples' Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and a host of other terror groups receive financial and/or logistical backing from Tehran.

Keep Abu Ghraib in your mind; then view Frontline World: Forbidden Iran. America's mistakes come to light, making us an easy target for criticism. But Americans actively work to right their wrongs, while others do the opposite because secrecy and fear are fundamental constructions for regime survivability.