just a quickie here.

Meanwhile, in Iraq...
Amnesty International seems to have drawn some blood by characterizing American detention as a modern-day Gulag. We know that 'suspects' have been tortured at Guantanamo Bay, or renditioned to third-party countries. We know that there has been a systematic programme in place in Abu Ghraib to sexually humiliate inmates, and collect photographic evidence in order to blackmail suspects into becoming informants. The press reports: 'Disturbing Evidence' uncovered. Purse-lipped headlines with no exposition followed by embarassed sweaty columns full of broomsticks, juveniles, deaths, electricity, dogs, drownings... Followed the next morning by the shaky, grateful and canine reportage of stormy official denials. Meanwhile, unreported, the Government attempts to wriggle itself a legal tolerance to torture. Take note: all a tapeworm needs is time.
Today, in order to highlight their benevolence, American officials highlight how much money they spend on inmates' meals.
Curious, how self-described fiscal conservatives try to justify compassion with a dollar sign. This is their best impersonation of a 'liberal' that they can pull off. "See?! Just look at this invoice! See how we love them raghead rascals?"
Seems like these official denials are getting feverish, desperate... the oil is burning in the engine room.
But anyway... let's look into the article.
"The Pentagon is spending $2.5 million a year to provide a proper Muslim meal to each prisoner behind the razor wire in isolated Cuba.
That's $12.68 a day in meals for each suspect."
"In contrast, the Miami-Dade Corrections Department spends $2.19 a day on each prisoner's food - or $3.60 if you calculate salaries and equipment."
The subtext here is clear: Americans treat their enemies better than their own people. That one is a not-so-subtle handoff to a Fox pundit. No better excuse to encourage a little resentment. We feed Them better than We feed... waitaminute... $2.19 a day?!! Personal note: stay the hell outta Miami jail.
I really don't think it was a great idea to point out how expensively you can make a meal in the service of the government. A budget analyist is on hand for the inevitable quip:
"Maybe they have microphones in the lentils... I'm surprised it's not more. DOD doesn't build products, it builds costs." C'mon guys! Republicans used to be able to score a zinger off the narrative of government fiscal largesse. Now they're falling into their own sinkhole.

But wait, there's more...
Recently I came across this site, which is the website for the Defense Logistics Agency. It supplies the grunts with their warzone rations, and, interestingly enough, produces something called 'Meal, Alternatively Regionally Customized.' Let's read on...
"The Meal, Alternative Regionally Customized (MARC) is a self-contained, shelf stable meal that was developed... after receiving an urgent request from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to expedite the development of a suitable vegetarian ration with unique dietary and component requirements designed specifically for detainees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base (GTMO)."

You heard it here first from the Ministry of Subsistence. On another note, you gotta love the vocabular soup that these people inhabit when they're trying so hard not to say that they make food for foreigners that happen to be detained illegally. It's both painfully literal and sci-fi loopy.
"The final product configuration includes 10 different luncheon entrée menus containing food components familiar to Southwest Asian/Middle East populations and each is packaged in a single meal bag."
Could this be source of those 12 dollars and 68 cents of delectable regionally-appropriate food? Let's take a look:

Check it out: "Mexican Rice." "Vegetable Cracker." "Tea-flavoured powdered drink mix." Huh.
If you're interested, they've posted the complete details of the ten(10) different menus that they provide their detainees. You can also check out the MREs they feed their own soldiers. Example, from menu #5:
-Jalapeno Cheese Spread
-Wheat Snack Bread
-Pound Cake
-Candy II
-Coffee, French Vanilla
-Jalapeno Ketchup
You ever get the idea that the occupation is mostly just kids eating execrable cafetaria food and candy, blasting nu-metal and blowing shit up? The occupation is like my fondest memories of high school.