Torturer-in-chief.

Editor,

Referring to Omar Suleiman as "a former intelligence chief" sounds so innocuous when in fact Mr. Suleiman happens to be Hosni Mubarak's torturer-in-chief, worse in fact than Mr. Mubarak himself because Mr. Suleiman does the dictator's dirty work for him operating his police state.

The American government, true to form, is now going to wait on this practicing monster to "begin a serious process of reform." And why him? Because of so-called "stability," which is code for: a) not allowing even the threat to occur that Egypt's peace treaty with Israel might lapse, b) ditto Egypt's dependability as a destination for subjects to torture in the U.S. "war on terror."

When will Washington ever learn that blow-back -- including hostile populations, hostile governments, and hostile extremist groups -- is the inevitable long-term result when for short-term gain it cashiers every value but "stability," particularly when it would be so pitifully simple to stand instead with the people of planet Earth for economic democracy, self-determination, and the human rights to which it is forever paying lip service.

Re: "Mr. Suleiman’s Empty Promises" (2/9/2011)