I don't think they deserve any respect. They're Baath Party officials and Syrian terrorists.
I understand what you're saying. The deal is, once they surrender, they should be disposed of by as fair and legal means as possible. For Baathist thugs, I'd hope that would be a speedy trial and speedier execution. For Iraqi conscripts, I'd hope they get a slap on the wrist and sent on their way. Weed out the bad ones, and make the neutral ones yours.
Once you build a reputation, like we have, of dealing with prisoners lenienly, then wars become pretty easy. We had entire divisions surrender to us, mostly full of people that didn't want to be there. There was no 'Stalingrad at Baghdad' because their army collapsed rather than fight us. It saves American lives, it saves non-U.S. lives and it saves time and effort.
Now, as always, our military has no sense of perspective. Put yourself in the mind of the average Iraqi. If you heard that the occasional former Baathist official or Syrian fighter got a little roughed up while in an EPW camp, would you think that the Americans are all that terrible? Think about it.