Iraq prison scandal

**i.m.cheap** · 05-06-2004, 08:21 PM

Has anyone been watching the news about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of U.S. military police? It is sickening. It is such a violation of human rights. I am embarrassed for President Bush. He said the guilty will be prosecuted.

**writtenonmybody** · 05-06-2004, 09:21 PM

I have seen it and when I did I felt sick to my stomache. I hate seeing anyone* being treated that way.

**writtenonmybody** · 05-06-2004, 10:54 PM

I think both are very sickening.

**PrairieRose** · 05-07-2004, 08:33 AM

It's about the worse thing that could happen right now, considering our standings in the eyes of the Arab world and the rest of the world as well.

**mrscornbread** · 05-07-2004, 08:46 AM

Pitiful and embarassing for sure.

**MJsLady** · 05-07-2004, 08:52 AM

While I agree what our guys did was not right, it is to a degree understandable. They have no compulsion to treat our guys fair when they capture them. I do not think it right for anyone to be tortured, even though I do understand our guys frustration feelings. At least we try to stop it when our people do it, we do not treat them as heros for it.

**guest2** · 05-07-2004, 09:30 AM

It's horrible! I really hope that all the soldiers involved are punished to the fullest extent of the law. There is absolutely no excuse for their behavior, no matter how angry or frustrated they must be for the deaths of thier fellow soldiers.

**i.m.cheap** · 05-07-2004, 08:06 PM

Americans would be outraged (and rightfully so) if pictures of OUR soldiers being humiliated by the enemy in such a manner were all over the media.

**gkp1031** · 05-07-2004, 08:16 PM

Horrible

**Chea** · 05-07-2004, 08:48 PM

Its terrible. Talk about taking a hot bed and setting fire to it! The whole thing makes me cringe....

**SusieJD** · 05-07-2004, 09:28 PM

Very, very sad. We're supposed to be there "freeing" the people from Saddam's same treatment of them. I'm ashamed.

Susie in MN

**Julie** · 05-10-2004, 05:08 PM

I too am absolutely disgusted and saddened. IMHO, the USA is up in the world's face on human rights abuses, and we (i.e., the reservists) are now no better than common criminals. I fully support "innocent until proven guilty", but if the reservists are really guilty, they will have to answer for what they did. Paul Bremer (he was the one who announced "Ladies and gentlemen, we got him!" about Saddam Hussein in December) knew about these abuses IN JANUARY. It seems to me that Mr. Rumsfeld must also have known.

Embarrassed, saddened and sickened at these events. No wonder the Iraqi people dislike us so much.

Just my two cents' worth. Off my soap box now.

Julie

**Sinclairwife** · 05-10-2004, 05:43 PM

Yes, these soldiers are putting ideas into the enemy troops for when they capture a US soldier. They should be dealt with but I think the damage has been done as far as other countries and cultures having any respect for the U.S.A.

I do think that the higher ups knew about it.

**SusieJD** · 05-10-2004, 06:55 PM

According to a report on CNN, they knew about it in May 2003. I would say that was enough time to stop it, and they didn't. Makes me sick!

I think that the milatary personal involved in this had a pre-disposition for this type of violance. IE: An old Iraq woman was riden like a horse by a male solider; An Iraw girl was raped by two soliders; An Iraq man was made to "jack off" by a female solider.

The question is, would these so called soliders do this when out of the military? And if they thought that they could get away with it in the service, would they think that they could get away with it in civilaian life?

Susie in MN

**forestdale** · 05-10-2004, 07:47 PM

I too was horrified when I saw those pictures, and apparently there are more pics and videos that are worse! My country is part of the invading force and I'm ashamed that we are a part of this.

The young soldiers that committed these attrocities are only partly to blame. They have officers that they answer to, they in turn take orders from their superiors. Putting a 24 year old soldier on trial is only part of the solution. Yes, if he is proven guitly he should be punished for carrying out these barbarous acts but it's ludicrous to think that a 24 year old (plus his fellow soldiers - male and female) should shoulder the blame for this. Their commanding officers must have known what was happening and they either condoned it or chose to look away. Either way they are as guilty as the people who actually carried out these acts.

There is is a saying attributed to Edmund Burke that says: "All that is required for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." We cannot allow this to pass by as if it has nothing to do with us. Those soldiers are representing us. We voted for the politicians who sent them there. There is a huge outcry about this in Australia. Most people want our soldiers to come home by Christmas, I agree with them and I've emailed my local senator to lodge my protest that our soldiers are still there.