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Friday, April 30, 2004
By now, I'm sure most people have heard or read about the Iraqi prison torture scandal.
Six Army reservists shown in graphic photos mistreating and humiliating Iraqi prisoners at a sprawling prison west of Baghdad are assigned to the 372nd Military Police Company based in Cumberland, family members and officials said last night.
In a story that aired last night, CBS's 60 Minutes II aired a series of pictures showing naked Iraqi prisoners who were forced to huddle in a pyramid or simulate sex acts with other prisoners. The pictures showed laughing male and female U.S. soldiers, some giving the thumbs-up sign, and a few were recognized by their Western Maryland neighbors.
In another picture, a hooded prisoner standing on a box appears to be wired to electrodes. The Army told the news program that the prisoner believed he would be electrocuted if he fell off the box.
The six reservists could be court-martialed. The New York Times says three of the six reported last month to be facing preliminary charges have been recommended for court-martial trials. According to the newspaper, a senior Pentagon official said late last night that the three have finished the military equivalent of a grand jury proceeding.
And they SHOULD be court-martialed. This is atrocious behavior, and any civilized person should think so. How do we maintain credibility in the world if we sanction this sort of treatment of enemy combatants?
President Bush vowed that the perpetrators would be harshly dealt with. Let's hope there is a quick, and stern resolution to this matter, and let it be a stark example to others - American soldiers have a responsibility to maintain civility, even (and especially) in a time of war. Those who don't will pay the consequences.Labels: Archives_2004
.: posted by
Dave
5:04 PM
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