Charen: Shame

Townhall ^ | 5-7-04 | Mona Charen

[philosofy123]

Politically, we should find the person(s) who took these pictures, and hang their ass!

[Guillermo]

Truth hurts, doesn't it.

This is a total and complete disaster.

[Mr. Bird]

In fact, if he has half a brain cell your average Iraqi knows all to well just how much of an improvement we are over the alternative

I agree, but as I said, this doesn't help with the public relations thing, ya know?

[jjackson]

Explaining the obvious.

We already know that this is not good news.

[Guillermo]

Whether that bitch is a bull dyke or not is irrelevant.

The inescapable fact is that she is obviously extremely "masculinized."

Hey, guess what? Women are not men, and shouldn't be treated like a man, and they're not capable of doing manly
things.

Every female "soldier" should be removed from the Middle East right now. And may God damn the feminist wackos who put women in the jobs of men and their cohorts who put these specific women in charge of guarding men in this prison.

[hopespringseternal]

I agree, but as I said, this doesn't help with the public relations thing, ya know?

Yes. I would hand the miscreants over to the locals for punishment. Even if Donald Rumsfeld and President Bush personally told them to go sexually humiliate Iraqis, they still deserve severe punishment for being so stupid as to make a record of it.

[philosofy123]

A woman who is happy to obey an order or is happy to aflict such inhumane insult on other humans is nothing but a bitch, and a barbarian. Nothing wrong with admitting that such behavior is uncivilzed, and unamerican. Idiots who accept or defend such action are GODLESS/HEARTLESS! Idiots who where dancing in the streets as we cryied over the death of 3000 Americans are Moslem barbarians. Idiots who support that bitch's action are "born-again/evangalical" barbarians.

[philosofy123]

Yes Demi Moore looked like a duke in that GI Jane movie.

[Argus]

the fact remains, without the support of the Arab Street, we can't democratize Iraq.

I get what you're saying, but my point was that a key component of modern civilization is the equality of women. This is the scariest thing to the Arab male, but without their coming to terms with this, Islam will never be "reformed", and the democratization of Iraq, or anyplace else over there, will be a facade that won't last five minutes past the departure of the last G.I. I also assume that half the "Arab street" is female. Until they assert themselves, there will be no real change.

[Rutles4Ever]

"I see," said the blind man. You have a very good point about that.

[jwpjr]

Seems to me the fact it was a female soldier involved in many of these pictures depicting humiliation of the men that the effect of the whole thing is greatly increased! From what I've read on here about men from this part of the world their is nothing lower in their estimation than a female, any female, and to have one doing this to them, and the pictures be showed around the world, is probably as painful as anything could be to their pride. It is difficult for westerners to identify with the roll that their pride plays in their self-esteem. None of what I am saying is meant to change the facts one iota, just to point out that there probably wasn't much that could have been done to these guys that would have humiliated them as much as pictures of the naked, being led around and laughed at by a female! I figure they would rather have been shown having simulated sex with a pig!

[k2blader]

Meanwhile, every Iraqi who is pro-U.S. and pro-democracy will have to explain himself to his countrymen. He is siding with the private who held a naked Iraqi by a leash.

Yep.

[k2blader]

Question: Would this be acceptable behavior towards American prisoners?

I have yet to see this excellent question answered by the "frat pranks" crowd.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Already awash in conspiracy theories and mistrust of us, Iraqis will now give even more credence to every crackpot and vicious explanation of our behavior handed to them by Al Jazeera or the local newspapers.

Honest ones will be asking why such events are so few.

[jwpjr]

Did you see where the female soldier in these pictures said she wasn't assigned to the area where the prisoners were being held, she had just wandered over there to hang out with some of her friends who were on duty? Apparently she is some sort of paper-pusher/clerk, not a trained MP or prison guard. Not that that changes anything, but she might well have fallen prey to wanting to show off for her friends, or they thought it might make a 'neat' picture.

[vandykelastone]

Here I am postint, but I think that after your succinct post, there is no need for others. Good for you!

[vandykelastone]

You can't do much better than Wu did.

[vandykelastone]

Stunt? Stunt?

[Guillermo]

The fact that they have access to male prisoners is absolutely inexcusable.