Posted on 05/07/2004 11:05:44 AM PDT by cgk
Shame
Mona Charen (archive)
Today's picture on the front page of the newspaper shows a naked Iraqi prisoner on the floor. A leash is tied around his neck. Holding the leash is an American soldier.
This is a disaster.
These photographs are a dagger in the heart of our hopes for Iraq and the wider Middle East. It isn't yet clear whether the damage is reversible, but first let's be clear about what the damage is.
Many have been at pains to object that what we have so far seen does not amount to torture. True. This is not pulling out fingernails. And yet, of all things to do to Arab men, to humiliate them sexually, particularly before female soldiers, is among the worst.
The Arab culture is based upon shame and honor. Most Arab men would gladly endure physical pain or even death before such dishonor as we have caused. Modesty in their women is something they will defend to the death (usually the woman's death, but that's not the point right now). Modesty in men is prized, as well. To strip them naked and force them to pantomime sex acts is to deny them their most precious possession -- their dignity.
The Americans who did this are idiots -- and one just doesn't know what to say about those who thought it would be good idea to snap photos.
Yes, yes, the Iraqis in those pictures are probably bad actors who may have known where the next IED (improvised explosive device) was going to be planted that would kill Americans. But coercion doesn't necessarily elicit truthful information. And look at what this tactic has cost!
Our hope in Iraq was not just to disarm Saddam, but to gain a foothold in the war of ideas. Our war against terror is founded on the notion that certain tactics are out of moral bounds no matter what the cause. The Muslim terrorists -- who happen to have a terrible cause and hateful tactics -- draw no such distinctions. We say that we do. We claim that democratic government, religious tolerance and the rule of law prevent abuses of the kind Arabs endure daily from their despotic, narrow rulers.
But now any invocation of our values and our standards will be met with contempt and dismissal by the Middle East audience. Even the upcoming trials of Saddam Hussein and his lieutenants have lost some of their power to teach. 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. Have no doubt that this episode, while it will be seen in America as a terrible aberration, will be viewed by Arabs across the Middle East as merely the tip of the iceberg. They know what goes on in their own prisons, and now it will be nearly impossible to convince them that we are different.
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.
It goes without saying that most American military personnel are honorable and decent, and would never commit such acts. And if this war were being waged in a pre-media age, a few episodes of this kind would not matter. But those pictures have been burned into the eyes of the whole world.
Is it possible to repair this? Burning down the Abu Ghraib prison might be a good symbolic act. Highly photogenic. Well-placed stories about the thousands of Americans -- military and civilian -- who are risking their lives to help the Iraqis build a better future (I know one -- Simone Ledeen) will help balance the ledger, too. But most of all, Iraqis will have to see that someone is punished.
One does not want to railroad any American soldier to satisfy the lust for revenge in the Iraqi street. But they must see that our system of justice really does function as advertised. It may be our last chance at the hearts and minds of a critical audience.
©2004 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
How convenient for her. What's the standard policy for female troops when they become pregnant? Do they automatically get shipped home?
If so, I wouldn't count on her being wildly in love with the father of her child. I wouldn't even assume that she prefers men over women.
If there is going to be an investigation into this "tempest in a tea-pot", we should concentrate on the following:
1) Who was the IDIOT who took the photographs?
2) How did said IDIOT get a camera into a secure facility?
3) Who was the IDIOT that passed the photos along to the press?
Whoever is responsible, they did, among other things, provide aid and comfort to the enemy in a time of war.
That being said, there has been worse hazing from DELTA House frat boys. Anyone pass through basic and NOT see a bunch of naked guys? None of this rises to the level of "war crimes" and as for Rummy being fired, I'll get behind that when Janet (the TORCH) Reno is adjudicated for 51 cases of intentional homicide.
Regards,
GtG
PS Hearts and minds be damned, get them by the short and curlies and their hearts and minds will follow!
And yet, of all things to do to Arab men, to humiliate them sexually, particularly before female soldiers, is among the worst.Oh, please, let's all cry a bucketful of crocodile tears, why don't we, and conveniently forget the centuries of physical abuse and total humiliation heaped on millions upon millions of Islamic women around the world.
This women is a disgrace to her country, her civiliaztion and her sex.
Yes. Investigate the abuse. Prosecute the perps. Give them a fair trial and a fast and very public hanging.
Do you happen to have a time machine on you?
Stupid thing to say. You really aren't too bright, are you?
I used to be a big fan of Mona. No longer. She lost me when she joined the Gospel-bashing cabal (including Krauthammer and Safire) who insulted Christians (I am a Jew) with their disgraceful attacks on "The Passion". Since then she has shown her seemingly true colors, as this silly overreacting piece demonstrates.
PS: That "lesbian bitch" is five months pregnant.
These pictures are embarrassing and the situations leading up to them should not have happened, but the timing of the release of these pictures is very convenient.
Problem is, now the entire world thinks we're a bunch of homo-perves. And dumb ones( we took pictures!!)
Argus
You need to tell that to the idiots on this forum who are defending this barbaric action of a lesbian looking bitch. To strip naked a bunch of guys and pile them on top of each others like dead animals, and drag them from a leash is undefencable except by heartless godless idiots.
philosofy123
Just take a deep breath. It is alright to say and think that this barbaric action by this lesbian looking bitch was a big big mistake. If you find nothing wrong with draging a naked man by a leash, you need your head examined, or simply go and join the other hate filled Moslem fanatics. Any one who defend this barbaric behavior is a barbarian himself and not too far from the idiotic Islamic fanatics
philosofy123
I think this sentiment of yours [Argus: "they'd better get used to it"] is a large PART of the whole problem. We should not be in the business of exporting 21st century feminism and back street sado-masochistic dominatrix fantasies to the Iraq which we wish to help move from the medieval past. However, I think many otherwise normal americans have fallen prey to this "better get used to it" attitude. It is this attitude that is the seed that leads to the particular morons' actions in this particular case at the prison. The military should have understood and trained the troops that we are not there to bring feminism to Iraq. The extension to this S_M femdom stuff is not far behind if the 21st century feminism is let loose in this somewhat secularized portion of the traditional Islamic world.
Our societys clash of a military mission with contemporary feminism has been left under the surface and unresolved. The big bad powerful woman who kicks a man in his testicles is cavilerly displayed in mainstream television and magazine ads in our American society. This attitude puts short-haired earnest and dedicated young women in uniforms in martial positions in the streets of Iraq. OK, that represents an important part of where our society has developed to this point in terms of opportunities for young women. BUT train them, for Gods sake, to not put it in their face. Put the KO on any young American who thinks that the proper attitude to adopt over there is Argus They'd better get used to it. There appears present in these photos a triumphant feminism and dominatrix mix that is self-satisfied with itself and is aware of no need to be sensitive to the meaning of what they are doing. [Feminism is not noted for sensitivity to anyone else, so the needed judgment is not to be found there.] I believe that the reason this training did not take place has a lot to do with a feeling of intimidation of the military in the face of feminist zealots and to some extent a culture of inability to think clearly in an official way about feminism in any other way than fawning yielding to its demands.
Quite literally, this incident is the rubber hitting the road when the societys underside [19-22 year olds not very well educated but clearly imbibing the cultural mores of 21 st century USA] hits the road in a foreign culture.
What instruction, indeed, if any, did the military troops deployed in Iraq get as to how they were to behave in country with respect to the vast gulf between the empowerment of women in America and the different role of women in the Iraqi society.
Did the troops feel that they were empowered to bring their individual acts and statements of the liberation of women in the face of members of the Iraqi society. If so, then how easy to feel empowered to do their worst to the lowest class of Iraqi society [from the perspective of the MP]: the Iraqi detainee or prisoner. If the military does not get right that they are not their to bring feminism to Iraq, then their corrective actions will fall short. The distinction between feminism and the equality of women is an important and somewhat difficult one to draw. Perhaps the distinction between the equality of women and fundamental rights for women is even more germane to the militarys role and deportment in Iraq. In any case, the failure to address this issue with the troops due to the intimidation of feminist political correctness has got to end.
Thus, there are "politically correct" things ot do or say as in line with the Doctrine. In any situation, the ramification from the Doctrine is needed to understand what to do or say.
Political correctness is a fundamentally wrong-headed notion for Americans to be parroting as if they are vaguely looking for the non-offensive [to the Doctrine] thing to do or say in every particularized situation.
The birth of this in the United States occurred in the academic community in the 80's and Americans quickly sipped it up in a disgustingly unaware manner.
To be clear, we have no Objective Doctrine in the US and there is no "politically correct" thing to do or say. Why people parrot this and try to do [God knows what as they stupidly say I must be what would be the] politically correct thing.
It was a sly tactic by Marxist professors it the US and it has grown like topsy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.