[link|http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/502510.html| Don't learn from the Americans]

"...powerful evidence of the hypocrisy that makes it permissible for the Americans, and other strong nations, to do that that is forbidden to others. If the war on international terror means that they will be engaging in hard-hitting combat, they should at least not be preaching morality to others.

This same conclusion is relevant regarding actions taken by the French in the Ivory Coast in recent days. They came to rescue citizens of France and other states from the fury of a wild mob and, in the course of their mission, killed local civilians without restraint. The extensive harm done to civilians in both instances did not even come in response to an attack - neither by Iraqis nor Africans - against population centers in the U.S. or France.
...
The method employed by the Americans calls for using warplanes and artillery in urban areas. This did not start in Falluja. The American armored division that was deployed in Baghdad used the same method. The Americans found themselves in trouble after failing to quell the insurgents in several cities as the date of Iraqi elections drew nearer. Their answer: using an "iron fist" in populated areas. When the Russians did this in Chechnya, President Clinton sharply criticized them. "

Last I checked the State Department has not stopped issuing their annual Human Rights reports, their pious statements about Israel and the Palestinians etc. The US is doing things in Iraq which if any other country were doing would be teh target of fierce criticism from the US Government.

The point is that the US government acts in the do what I say not do what I do manner. It has nothing to do with which administration is in power. If anyone else in the world did what the US was doing in Fallujah you would hear the State Department talking about excessive use of force, the need to minimize civilian casualties etc. Do you remember Jenin in 2002? What did the current administration say then? What is happening in Falluja is much worse then anything that happened in jenin.

The same thing goes for WMD's. The US is opposed to anyone else making nuclear weapons, yet, the US is working on new types of nuclear weapons. Whats good for the gander is good for teh goose.