Prisoners Tortured

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If this is true—and it appears it is, the perpetrators should be imprisoned and, if they killed prisoner, executed. Oh not just for the torture and humiliation, but for the propaganda victory they likely have handed to the enemy; for the new enemies they’ve likely created. And yes, John, they’ve tarnished us all.

Comments

[A Proud Veteran]

Sgt Stryker has a good commentary on these "humans".

http://www.sgtstryker.com/weblog/archives/004403.php#comments

[Helen]

I'm simultaneously angry at and saddened by the 17. They have tarnished the good name of the U.S. military in the worst place and in the worst way. Nobody says the people in the military are saints; they are not. However, the U.S. wages war according to higher standards than any other nation. These 17 foolish people have undone much of the good work the military has done over the past year. I saw on Fox an Arab woman talking about human rights of the prisoners. Apart from being offended by the hypocrisy of the commenter (nobody in the Arab world considers the human rights of coalition civilians/soldiers who have been taken captive. Nobody spoke of Quattrochi's civil rights when he was shot in the head by thugs), I became fearful for the lives of the soldiers out there who will be made to pay for the folly of 17. The thoughtless, foolish, and hateful 17 have brought the U.S. into disrepute.

[Ruthie]

Something about all these pictures...Just does NOT seem real, to me. All seem to be posed.
Stop and think...Do you REALLY believe that our Military people who have CHOSEN a military CAREER...are going to put themselves and their FUTURES on the line by POSING pictures like this???
Something does not ring TRUE!!!!
I, for one, do NOT believe what I see here.
Ruthie

[John Anderson, RI USA]

I hope - but doubt - that this sort of thing will be on the Iraqi stations being equipped by Spirit of America. Why the #$% can't such things be used to our advantage? When the probe started in January, why was it not with a press release to the Arab world of "We are investigating charges of brutality by a few of our personnel: those suspected of being directly involved are in custody, and those above them have been suspended and may also face charges. How would your government handle it? What has happened to the murderers of the schoolgirls not allowed to leave a burning building?"

Iraqi bloggers, once over the initial shock, have pointed this out. Even al Jazeera noted that the soldiers are being held and will be prosecuted! But of course, all this is muted by "The US is no better than Saddam!" with little or no response.

Bah. I've been saying for years that the Israelis do lousy PR, I suppose I should not expect better of us. After all, Halliburton/RBK and the Pentagon are trying to relieve "civilian contractors" of those "scary" weapons they use in self-defense on the risible theory that an unarmed convoy will not be attacked.

[Marty]

I've seen the latest spin. That is...the soldiers didn't receive "in depth" information on the rights of prisoners under the Geneva Convention.

puh-leeze.

Even without ANY Geneva briefing, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize when you are crossing the line.

again....puh-leeze. Prosecute these suckers and muster them out of MY military.

[torchy]

I'll let the military and appropriate authorities sort this out. Are these American soldiers or contractors? Are those Iraqi detainess or local employees induced to help stage some photos? If they are detainees they probably aren't there for jaywalking or simple misdemeanors. If they are believed to retain intelligence useful to coaltion operations then most of what is depicted are non-violent yet effective methods for softening the detainees resolve before being questioned by interrogators. Stripping detainees of their clothes and ordering them to perform even absurd contortions in the presence of fellow detainees, being mocked by guards, usually lowers anyones will to resist. You're naked, afraid, embarassed and even your fellow detainees can't help you but can only bear witness to your humiliation which compounds your duress. If your personality is strong enough to resist this treatment stern threats can be employed, like being made to stand on narrow platform with wires attached to your fingers and being told you'll be electrocuted if you fall can further exhaust their resolve. Call this the "bad cop" drill. The interrogators are then in the position to play "good cop" to entice them even further from resisting the interview. I'd consider myself lucky to leave any type of police custody feeling very humiliated, tormented, even with a few bloody teeth. Though "major combat operations" are over Iraq is still in a de facto state of martial law. There is no visual evidence of any permanent physical injuries and probably no permanent psychological damage. If this
"evidence" of detainee "mistreatment" enrages the Iraqi street, se la vie, too bad, we can't be worried about hurt feelings when innocent Iraqi and Coalition lives are at stake. Remember, Saddams regime once really energized those electrodes, tore men apart with dogs, physically and psychologically maimed, experimented on and murdered innocent Iraqis for decades in that same prison. Actualy, I haven't seen anything in those photos I haven't seen done at a frat hazing, the only difference is that the frat pledges were enduring it to get into the frat whereas these guys are enduring it to get out of prison. When did the Coaliton start getting squeamish about a fairly tame exercise in interrogation? Because its abhorrent to local customs? Because there's women involved? Because of Islamic law? Isn't there alot about Islam already abhorrent to democracy, civil rights and other Western values? Are we there to serve the cause of freedom or the cause of cultural sensitivity and political correctness? I see no problem here if we have chosen the former.

[torchy]

And further, I am angry at the "soldiers" caught in the act not so much for their apparent gratuitous showmanship but that they lost control of their documentation. If these are official photos (which by their location and operations depicted they are) they should be stamped
"Confidential" at the very least.

[Louis Spielman]

We should simply apply the full force of the UCMJ both to the men who did these things, and those of their superiors who were derelict in the performance of their duties by permitting these stupidities.

Are These pictures real?
I can see many americans are wondering. Let me ask the question in another way if these pictures are not real, who with a sick mind will make them up?? And if it was inteded to be made up, why not made up after the Afghan war? In case of a slim slim chance of being real, it shows simply the arogance in american soldiers, minority or majority, they are the civilized who came to save the iraqi from their butcher, and to replace him with smaller group of butchers!!!!!!!!! Is it not the time to realise that the americans are fooled by their leaders and pushed to an aimless war, lets remember here that no mass destruction weapons found, lets remember here taht this iraqi resistance tells the leaders of the most democratic country WE ARe NOT HAPPY WITH YOUR PRESENCE. Isn't it time for America to get its finger out of the ...... of all counties. Think and think again, Are the pictures real?