Opinari.net
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Monday, May 03, 2004
Seven U.S. soldiers have been reprimanded in connection with the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners carried out by guards at Baghdad's notorious Abu Ghraib prison, a senior military official said on Monday.
On the orders of Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, six of the soldiers -- all officers and noncommissioned officers -- have received the most severe level of administrative reprimand in the U.S. military, the official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. A seventh officer was given a more lenient admonishment.
The military official said he believed investigations of the officers were complete and they would not face further action or court martial. But the reprimands could spell the end of their careers.
Does anyone in their right mind think that a reprimand is good enough for these people? This is outrageous, and I think most Americans agree. How can this behavior only be deserving of a reprimand? I would like for the press to ask General Sanchez why he believes a reprimand is adequate punishment. Also, I would like to hear from the president, and find out if he agrees.
There is no doubt that insurgency will increase because of this fiasco. How many lives will be lost as a result of increased response from disconsolate Iraqis? How much more outrage will surface in the Islamic communities in other countries, leading to scorn, strife, and violence? As a result of this, it can only get worse before it gets better.
The absence of a more harsh punishment communicates to the world one thing, and one thing only: American officials are implicitly condoning these actions. Once the hyperbole kicks in, we will hear that America is no better than the Hussein regime. There is no question that the actions of these servicemen have set our efforts back substantially. As such, they should be determined culpable for their actions. In my opinion, a simple reprimand is not enough.Labels: Archives_2004
.: posted by
Dave
10:24 AM
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