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Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Back to More Serious Topics
Warning: Some may find content to be offensive.
Drudge has reported more alleged cases of misconduct by military personnel with respect to Iraqi prisoners. I plan to go into this issue in depth for my next Useless Knowledge article (the editor is on vacation at the moment), so I’ll spare you the details here. Here's what Drudge had on the front page as of 11:15pm:
WASHINGTON POST PLANNING TO REPORT MORE PRISONER ABUSE PHOTOS, NEWSROOM SOURCES TELL DRUDGE... DEVELOPING...
The pictures obtained by The Post include shots of soldiers simulating sexually explicit acts with one another and shots of a cow being skinned and gutted and soldiers posing with its severed head. There are also dozens of pictures of a cat's severed head....
Other photographs show wounded men and dead bodies. In one, a dead man is lying in the back of a truck, his shirt, face and left arm covered in blood. His right arm is missing. Another photograph shows a dead body, gray and decomposing. A young soldier is leaning over the corpse, smiling broadly and giving the "thumbs-up" sign.
And in another picture a young woman lifts her shirt, exposing her breasts. She is wearing a white band with numbers on her wrist, but it is unclear if she is a prisoner.
Another photograph of a naked man with a dark hood over his head, handcuffed to a cell door. And another of a naked man handcuffed to a bunk bed, his arms splayed so wide that his back is arched...
A picture shows a soldier holding a leash tied around a naked man's neck in an Iraqi prison....
I caught some of Hannity’s show today while he was discussing this issue. He is of the opinion that although what these soldiers have done is obviously wrong and really quite disturbing, we need to keep it all in prespective. In principle, his is absolutely correct. Even the most disturbing pictures pale in comparison to what Saddam routinely did during this despotic reign. Hannity, I think rightly, points out that the US is being held to an infinitely higher standard than the rest of the world. Yes we are, and we should demand that we attain a high standard…although not necessarily one set by the world. We have such high expectations for our military that no outside force is necessary.
However, we should all note a few things. 1) We are much better in terms of human rights than most countries (although this may be a case of guilt by unhealthy comparison). 2) The acts carried out by these individuals absolutely does not amount to torture (humiliation, sure, but not torture per se). 3) The percentage of military personnel involved is insignificant in terms of numbers (100 would amount to 0.05% of our forces currently in Iraq). 4) These young men and women are being asked to do something that is relatively new in terms of warfare.
On that last one a quick point and then I’m done, promise. In the past, warfare was total. It was a tool to wipe out competition and take their stuff. Soldiers would literally burn, pillage and rape with impunity. They saw the enemy and that was the end of the story. Today’s US Armed Forces are being required to turn on the battle lust and kill as many of the enemy as possible (but only combatants…not civilians or you’re in trouble). Then, they’re asked to turn that off and treat the enemy kindly (who, by the way was just trying to kill them and probably managed to kill and wound their friends). None of this is meant to excuse the conduct in question…only to put it in prespective.
In the end the guilty individuals will be handled by court marshal and justice will be served. There will certainly be unpleasant short-term effects. Whether or not this has a lasting effect will depend a great deal on how we handle this over the next few days.
Update: Here's a quick story on the family of the now infamous Spc. Lynndie England. Apparently President Bush is not qualified to be disgusted by these pictures because he only served in the National Guard. Great point man.
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Warning: Some may find content to be offensive.
Drudge has reported more alleged cases of misconduct by military personnel with respect to Iraqi prisoners. I plan to go into this issue in depth for my next Useless Knowledge article (the editor is on vacation at the moment), so I’ll spare you the details here. Here's what Drudge had on the front page as of 11:15pm:
WASHINGTON POST PLANNING TO REPORT MORE PRISONER ABUSE PHOTOS, NEWSROOM SOURCES TELL DRUDGE... DEVELOPING...
The pictures obtained by The Post include shots of soldiers simulating sexually explicit acts with one another and shots of a cow being skinned and gutted and soldiers posing with its severed head. There are also dozens of pictures of a cat's severed head....
Other photographs show wounded men and dead bodies. In one, a dead man is lying in the back of a truck, his shirt, face and left arm covered in blood. His right arm is missing. Another photograph shows a dead body, gray and decomposing. A young soldier is leaning over the corpse, smiling broadly and giving the "thumbs-up" sign.
And in another picture a young woman lifts her shirt, exposing her breasts. She is wearing a white band with numbers on her wrist, but it is unclear if she is a prisoner.
Another photograph of a naked man with a dark hood over his head, handcuffed to a cell door. And another of a naked man handcuffed to a bunk bed, his arms splayed so wide that his back is arched...
A picture shows a soldier holding a leash tied around a naked man's neck in an Iraqi prison....
I caught some of Hannity’s show today while he was discussing this issue. He is of the opinion that although what these soldiers have done is obviously wrong and really quite disturbing, we need to keep it all in prespective. In principle, his is absolutely correct. Even the most disturbing pictures pale in comparison to what Saddam routinely did during this despotic reign. Hannity, I think rightly, points out that the US is being held to an infinitely higher standard than the rest of the world. Yes we are, and we should demand that we attain a high standard…although not necessarily one set by the world. We have such high expectations for our military that no outside force is necessary.
However, we should all note a few things. 1) We are much better in terms of human rights than most countries (although this may be a case of guilt by unhealthy comparison). 2) The acts carried out by these individuals absolutely does not amount to torture (humiliation, sure, but not torture per se). 3) The percentage of military personnel involved is insignificant in terms of numbers (100 would amount to 0.05% of our forces currently in Iraq). 4) These young men and women are being asked to do something that is relatively new in terms of warfare.
On that last one a quick point and then I’m done, promise. In the past, warfare was total. It was a tool to wipe out competition and take their stuff. Soldiers would literally burn, pillage and rape with impunity. They saw the enemy and that was the end of the story. Today’s US Armed Forces are being required to turn on the battle lust and kill as many of the enemy as possible (but only combatants…not civilians or you’re in trouble). Then, they’re asked to turn that off and treat the enemy kindly (who, by the way was just trying to kill them and probably managed to kill and wound their friends). None of this is meant to excuse the conduct in question…only to put it in prespective.
In the end the guilty individuals will be handled by court marshal and justice will be served. There will certainly be unpleasant short-term effects. Whether or not this has a lasting effect will depend a great deal on how we handle this over the next few days.
Update: Here's a quick story on the family of the now infamous Spc. Lynndie England. Apparently President Bush is not qualified to be disgusted by these pictures because he only served in the National Guard. Great point man.
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