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I think we're not as upset by what was done to the prisoners (let's face it, it's not as if they tore out fingernails one by one) as by the fact that the pictures (why on earth would you take pictures?!?) are very unflattering to our soldiers, and creates a PR bonanza for Al Jazeera, etc. That's unforgiveable. It's a betrayal of their fellow soldiers, and the sacrifices their fellow soldiers have made. That's my opinion.

Sorry, but as a former Army Officer, I think that these soldiers should be court martialed (as is being done) and given stiff sentences. The only thing that separates an army from a mob is discipline and these soldiers obviously don't have any. Not only that, they were stupid to take pictures and share them with someone. AND on top of that to claim they didn't know that treating POWs that way is against the Geneva Conventions means they are liars as well. I have never read the actual Geneva Conventions either (as their lawyer claimed), but the lectures they give you in the Army should have at least told them that what they were doing was illegal. On top of that, if other countries see us treating enemy prisoners that way, how much worse will they treat the next US soldier taken prisoner?

So you have a few undisciplined, stupid, lying people placing better soldiers at greater risk. The only thing worse is that CBS showed it to the world in prime time while we are at war. I remember when 60 Minutes would show stories of bad things that were not being taken care of. This is a bad thing where the military is doing exactly the right actions.
\rant