Disgusting

The New York Times leads today with a story about foreign nationals (non-Iraqi) who have been taken prisoner by US forces in Iraq, and notes prominently that the Bush administration considers such prisoners not to be covered by the terms of the Geneva conventions.
How have we descended to this level?
How is it possible that in this country we have lost our moral compass to the point where we would consider inhumane treatment to be acceptable for any prisoner?
Did September 11 make that much of a difference? And if it did, why is it that the ones it seems to have affected were the most removed from the losses of that day? It's not from New York and Washington that you hear acceptance of torture. It's from Mr. Bush's red states.
I am continually amazed.