I've been disgusted and freaked out with the recent Abu Ghraib images of prison abuse at the hands of the US. Here in the USA it is getting much publicity and Bush has made some lame statement about how this is not representative of the USA. Yeah sure Mr.Bushie. Anyway this is a micro incident of many atrocities that go on in Iraq at the hands of coalition. But as my cousin has stated in the past, these soldiers, any soldiers are going to behave in this manner during war. Can we compare this to what Saddam did? Well to make the parallel would be sort of ironic considering that this is what the US claims to have ended, all the torture and brutality of Saddam's 35 year regime. Can we ponder this a bit? Any Iraqi can tell you endless stories of what Saddam or his henchmen did. And they got away with acts that are much worse than the Abu Ghraib prison US photos. And why do we need to see photos to be outraged?
Why not be outraged at everything that is going on? 10,000 Iraqis dead since the occupation and rising. I think in a way that some Iraqis will automatically be silent. But please do not be silent dear friend. These sadist need to be punished. A buddy from work who is in the US Airforce told me that those soldiers should be executed for what they did. Well that seems a bit harsh, he said it, not me.
However, following the publication of the photos by the CBS television network one wonders whether U.S. administrator Paul Bremer and Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, were aware of the torture of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.
If they were aware of the fact but failed to prevent it, then they should be tried in court according to Article 4 of the Geneva Conventions.
This article enumerates the rights of people whose countries have been invaded and occupied. It states that the occupying forces do not have the right to torture the occupied country’s nationals and if they do, the occupying country’s highest-ranking political official and military commander are to be held responsible for the crimes.
And this from Zmag.org :
"Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees; pouring cold water on naked detainees; beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair; threatening male detainees with rape; allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell; sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick, and using military working dogs to frighten and intimidate detainees with threats of attack, and in one instance actually biting a detainee."
It's not really so much the torture. But the humilation that these photos protray; the female soldier in front of the naked Iraqi prisoners is going to give rise to more anger and hostility toward the US all over the world. Be prepared for more violence.
Go read that full article in Zmag. This has been going on for a while now and our US media that was once a cheerleader for Bushie has recently been a little critical now. Look, Bremer, Sanchez and the rest of those bastards all knew about this. They are only making a fuss since the pictures are out. Anyway, I have no idea who to vote for this coming election. Not Bush, Not Kerry (pro-Israel lover), so what? Nader...ahh Nader.
I wonder what my cousin thinks of all this? I should write him. In other news I showed a short video piece I made called BOMBSHELL: IRAQI SECRET VIDEOS AND ARTIFACTS FROM A FALLEN REGIME. I showed it at few places here in Chicago and it has raised discussion and I was even accussed of accepting money from the Republican Party! haha. These were clips that I bought from Baghdad when I was there.
The documentary is still is in the early phases. I will keep you posted.