Bush failed the kidnapped soldiers (UPDATED)

The debate over torture, and whether the U.S. has the right to use it has finally hit the nation where it hurts — in Iraq, where the troops are at threat of suffering the consequences of an immoral policy.

President Bush failed two captured American soldiers, and other servicemen and women, the moment he began looking for ways not to be governed by international treaties govering how we are supposed to treat captured enemy forces.

If Privates Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca are tortured and killed, their blood, pain and screams will be on their captors.

But our moral authority to condemn, and demand retribution, has been compromised by a president who has seen no reason to play by the rules that might have protected them, and all of us.

The Rude Pundit asks some important "What if" questions that reveal the quandry Bush has placed the nation.

An excerpt:

What if, and, really, does it need to be said, they are made to stand, hooded, with faux electrodes attached to their nuts and fingers, told that if they don't start answering questions, well, testicles only can take so much electroshock before they just pop like squeezed grapes?

What will our government do? What could it do? Could it condemn the actions as not abiding by the Geneva Conventions? Could it call the actions "torture"? Could it demand accountability? Could it demand that the soldiers be treated as POWs? Could it simply say, "Well, we don't do that shit...anymore"?

H/T to Andrew Sullivan, who provides the only suitable answer.

"No it couldn't. Pray for the safe rescue of the soldiers — and for the president who abandoned Geneva."

UPDATED, 7:45 a.m., June 20, 2006

Iraq official: U.S. soldiers' bodies found

I pray there is no sign that the soldiers were tortured.

And we should all pray for their families.

UPDATED, 9:10 a.m., June 20, 2006

The Washington Post is quoting an Iraqi official who says the soldiers were "barbarically" killed, and that there are signs of torture on their bodies.

(H/T to Michelle Malkin.)