IN BED WITH AL JAZEERA

James J. Zogby, brother of pollster John Zogby, wrote a piece defending Dick Durbin.

Of course, his opinion was greeted warmly by its publishers--Al Jazeera.

It is a blistering attack on what he calls the "right-wing attack machine" and, of course, the Bush administration.

He writes:

Watching the right wing's attack machine go into motion is really quite a spectacle. It targets its victim, strikes, and then launches into a multimedia, multi-day assault. Every medium is used: the White House comments, Senators and Congressmen issue releases. And then Fox News, radio talk shows, the Washington Times, web logs and websites-all carry the "story" and add to it. The initial attack is then echoed and magnified. The goal is to bury the target and silence critics with overwhelming force.

Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) is their most recent target. Last week, on the Senate floor, Durbin, who, in the past, has successfully led the effort to pass anti-torture legislation, read aloud a statement by an FBI agent describing the torture of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. He said that the techniques described by the agent called to mind those used by repressive regimes, including the Nazis and Soviets.

The response was quick and harsh, utilizing all the media noted above. Prominent among the attackers were former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Gingrich said that Durbin's comments appeared on Al-Jazeera, and that, "You cannot have a public official quoted throughout the world by our enemies describing the U.S. in these terms -- it puts every young American in uniform at risk."

Frist went further, mischaracterizing Durbin's remarks, alleging that his statement was "anti-American and only fuels the animus of our enemies. . . .It is this type of language that they use to recruit others to be car bombers; suicide attackers; hostage takers; and full-fledged jihadists." The assault went on for a week, frightening many from coming to Durbin's defense.

...What damages the U.S. image and endangers us are not comments by Durbin and other critics of Guantanamo Bay. It is the Bush administration's detention and interrogation policies. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld explicitly authorized the use of abusive interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay. FBI agents and the Red Cross both concluded that the use of these techniques at Guantanamo constituted "torture." In the past, the United States has always condemned the use of such techniques. Now, we apparently approve of them.

...Comments by Durbin and other critics of torture help, not hurt, the U.S. image in the Middle East. People there are already outraged about Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. The fact that Durbin and others have demonstrated the courage to speak out and challenge these shameful and abusive practices demonstrates to the Arab world that not all Americans support what the world knows we have done. As their criticism makes clear, there are still Americans who hold high the values we call on others to emulate. At a time when we're trying to spread democracy, Durbin and other critics show people in the Arab world how a democracy works. The good new is that not only has Durbin not been silenced, but the controversy about Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib and the treatment of detainees, in general, is growing and will not be stopped until changes are made.

James Zogby is a propagandist playing into the hands of an anti-American propaganda outlet.

Way to defend America's values, James!