Abuse of Prisoners Punishment for Fighting, NOT Interrogation

New York Times ^ | May 5, 2004 | Ian Fisher

[fourdeuce82d]

Mr. Abd spoke with no particular anger at the American occupation, though he has seen it closer than most Iraqis. In six months in prisons run by American soldiers, in fact, he said most of them had treated him well and with respect.

"Most of the time, they wouldn't even say, `Shut up,' " he said.

That changed in November...when punishment for a prisoner fight at Abu Ghraib degenerated into torture.

That night, he said, he and six other inmates were beaten...

...an American military investigator came to visit him. He showed Mr. Abd the pictures and said he needed him to make a statement against the military police who had mistreated him. Mr. Abd trusted him.

"He said, `Don't be afraid. Tell us what happened. We are on your side,' " Mr. Abd remembered. " `Tell us everything they have done.' "

[fourdeuce82d]

This puts a completely different light on the whole story. According to this guy, a)prisoners were not abused as a matter of policy, and b) the abuse was punishment for abuse of a fellow iraqi

registration required- the story is in the "international" section, in the subsection "struggle for iraq."

[sarasota]

He showed Mr. Abud some pictures? Is this routine to keep records with photos?

[ccmay]

And at the end, the guy says he would like to move to America!

This stuff is just stupid, stupid, stupid.

I've read that most of these idiot reservists are prison guards in civilian life. Scary. They have done more damage to us than a division of the Iraqi Republican Guard could ever hope to inflict.

-ccm

[maeng]

The more I hear, the more this whole thing is sounding like a set-up.

[jwalsh07]

Mr. Abd was released in mid-April. Looking back, the only explanation he can imagine for the mistreatment is that "Joiner" had been drinking.

"Americans did not mistreat me in general," he said. "But these people must be tried."

"I can't tell you my feelings," he said. "The Americans got rid of Saddam Hussein. They told us about democracy and freedom. We are happy about that."

---

If this guy is any indication, then Iraq can embrace some form of democratic government.

[ac-rep]

I just think it's sorta silly the belief that reality begins and ends with photographs.There were reports and arrests concerning abuse of Iraqi prisoners ever since the beginning of this war yet only because we see photographs are conclusions being drawn.

[SuziQ]

"He said, `Don't be afraid. Tell us what happened. We are on your side,' " Mr. Abd remembered. " `Tell us everything they have done.' "

THIS is the most important part of the story in my opinion. This abuse happened over the period of a couple of weeks, involved only a few soldiers on a particular shift. When another soldier reported it, it was investigated thoroughly by the military. I believe the people responsible are in the process of being tried for their actions.

Why are we not hearing THAT from the partisan media. Of course, that's a rhetorical question!

To top it all off, this man would like to come to America to live! Doesn't sound like he hates Americans as a people, just the few who humiliated him.

[Wneighbor]

...an American military investigator came to visit him. He showed Mr. Abd the pictures and said he needed him to make a statement against the military police who had mistreated him. Mr. Abd trusted him. "He said, `Don't be afraid. Tell us what happened. We are on your side,' " Mr. Abd remembered. " `Tell us everything they have done.' "

Because this is how we administer justice in America. I wonder if anyone would like to interview Mr. Abd on prime time news and ask him what would have happened in an Iraqi prison.

[fourdeuce82d]

He showed Mr. Abud some pictures? Is this routine to keep records with photos?

I imagine they were the same pictures that had been circulating.

[fourdeuce82d]

THIS is the most important part of the story in my opinion

bingo.

[festus]

Shoulda just shot em.

Quicker, easier, and they never fight again.