I have no idea what is true, and what isn't true. I won't know with 100% certainty until I see it with my own eyes.
War and interrogation involving abuse unfortunately still go hand in hand. They always have, but hopefully won't be necessary for long. I'm hoping
new technology will make such things absolutely avoidable.
I don't want to justify abuse, but how do you get the information you need to win a war? Is there a better/more effective way to do so? If so, what
is it and why haven't they employed it?
We need to ask questions such as; "How and why did the prisoner end up in interrogation?", "Was the abuse provoked or unprovoked?", "How much (if
any) and what kind of abuse was ordered by a superior officer?", "How likely was the prisoner to have the information which was sought from
him/her?" , "Did the prisoner volunteer reliable information? If so, why was the prisoner still detained? Was he/she dangerous?", "Did soldiers
abuse prisoners who had already volunteered information?", "What was the mental state of the soldier?", "Has the soldier ever been tested for
excessive aggression/lack of control over him/herself?", "Is every interrogation supervised/recorded?" etc. etc. We also have to consider that
much of the interrogations remain secret, because the public would most likely absolutely disapprove of the method. Once a better and more effective
method for interrogation is found, there will be no need for this kind of violence.
You also have to remember that many of the soldiers working with these prisoners may have had close friends killed and mutilated by them. That
certainly isn't the case with every soldier, but it is with some. It is a war. War is ugly, and may bring out the worst in a lot of people. They find
themselves doing something they thought they would NEVER do. War eventually desensitizes you to the point when you no longer distinguish right from
wrong. It is a very 'heavy' mental state, one which ordinary civilians who've never seen their friend blown into 20 pieces will never have to
understand. Though I'm not excusing crimes, I'm trying to point out that this plays a very important part in what is going on. The soldiers involved
in abuse may be using this as an opportunity to vent intense frustration. It is still wrong, but that's what happens.
The original poster implies that 14 year old children were raped in front of their parents in order to gather information. If this is true, it is
absolutely disgusting. Until I see video or pictures (I can't say I want to willingly watch such things), I won't believe it 100%, but I won't deny
that such things are a good possibility either. There are people (even in uniform) who are capable of more horrific things.
One thing we must understand is that not every (if most) soldier (from any country) would be capable of such a crime. I think that's a given. Just as
there are paedophiles who are attracted to jobs like becoming a priest or teacher in order to get closer to children, so there are civilians enlisting
in order to be able to commit such things without consequences. It is easier said than done to keep every single soldier who ever enlisted in complete
check, especially during war. Their terrible behavior reflects on the entire nation when in fact it may have been the horrible act of an
individual(s).
I resent the fact that other nations around the world believe that Americans would condone these acts. If a crime was committed, we want the
criminals punished just as much as anyone else on this planet. Furthermore, other nations have no room to point their fingers before they look at
their own "mistakes" and torture crimes. There isn't a single nation who has not employed (under the blessing of at least one or two of their
political leaders/officers) the torture of prisoners. Part of my own home country points to the Abu Ghraib tortures, yet they forget that their
country used to torture and make disappear their own citizens! Worse yet, few of the guilty were ever punished. At least the U.S. makes an 'effort'
to arrest and bring the guilty to justice.
No nation is blame-free, and they should remember that when they start passing judgment on the Americans. Most of the world has always hated us, and
now they have a perfect excuse to diminish our poularity even more, although they themselves have plenty of terrible issues to take care of. They
should consider themselves extremely lucky that they're not in the limelight.
Was the abuse condoned/ordered by Rumsfeld? There's no proof thus far which would connect him to the crimes beyond a doubt. I know people enjoy
hearing things like this about the people they already hate, because it helps them fuel/justify their hate further. Objectivity can be lost. To begin
calling Rumsfeld "evil" or "the devil" is uncalled for, especially when absolute evidence has not been presented. Then again,... that's your
opinion, and you're allowed to have it.
Finally,.. to tell someone that they're not a "true American" no matter of what opinion or political party is ridiculous. Every single one of us
who holds American citizenship is a "true American". You have the right to dislike what's going on inside the country in which you live, and you
have the right to try and change whatever it is you dislike, especially in the U.S.. We may not agree on what you're trying to change, but that is
your and my right. Let's stop with this un-American crap please, whether you're Democrat or Republican, or some other political party. I'm sure we
can find a more fitting label to use.
