Quote:
Originally posted by baltassoc
This is true, but they're going to say that regardless. And without basis. It's when they look at us and think that torture is okay that I get irritated.
Abu Ghraib is NOT a non-event. Or at least it shouldn't be. Torture does NOT just happen. It is NOT to just be expected.
I'm not so idealistic as to think that abuses will not occur. Hell, we can't keep Americans safe in our own jails, let alone Iraqis. But this came from the top down. This administration has gone out of its way to find a way to torture, to bend the rules, to break the rules.
Like many attorneys, I'm fairly familiar with the interogation techniques used by American police departments that meet Constitutional muster. They are very effective. Very, very effective. Why are we screwing around with cattle prods and dogs?
Someone has to say no. Someone has to say that anal rape of a prisoner by a guard is not okay. If that makes me hopelessly idealistic, that's just sad.
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Maybe Abu Ghraib is not a non-event, but its certainly worn its welcome out. Its worse than Scott Peterson. Its a peripheral issue and should not cloud the larger issues. there are many more reasons for Rumsfeld's ouster than what happened between some rednecks and some Iraqis, with or without his tacit apprival. Abu Ghraib is primarily the interest of the bloodiest of the bleeding hearts. Is it awful? Yes? Should it be addressed? Yes, and it was. Now, lets get back to figuring out how to stabilize the country and get out.
Its hard to use psychological tricks on prisoners when they can't speak the language. Good cop/bad cop is tough when neither cop speaks Arabic. So out comes the cattle prod. Classic lack of commincation. When you can't understand words, force is the simple man's alternative. And these people engaged in the torture are classic "simple" folk. Fuck, that chick looks like she came right out of a pohoto of the front row at a 77 Skynrd* show.
As to torturing Khalif Muhhamed and Co... fuuuuck, we should do that just for kicks. Hell, I'd feed those fuckers aphetamines and house them in cells with nothing but copies of the Torah and Old and New testaments and books on Hinduism and Buddhism. They'd hear nothing but boy bands all day... Shit, I put Yentl on constant replay one week, Ishtar and Battleship Earth the next... Maybe you're right... a cattle prod probably isn't necessary.
* I love Skynrd BTW, so I can say that. Second Helping is a fantastic record.
