The Truth of the Abuse - Time to get the Facts Straight!

Newsmax ^

[macsmind76]

"Instead of apologizing for the actions of troops who have been dispatched to a Middle Eastern hellhole half-a-world-away to keep the wolf from our door, the Bush administration should get off the defensive and begin to put this over-hyped episode in perspective."

[macsmind76]

Never forget that this is an election year, write your congressman, senator and tell them that you will not stand for the constant spin of the facts of this case by democrats and the media. It is time to take the offensive - our lives depend on it.

MacsMind.com

[dandi]

Excellent article. If only the "mainstream" media had the cojones to print or otherwise propagate this information and perspective.

[bolobaby]

Not to mention delivering a gut-punch to the morale of U.S. troops currently risking their lives in Iraq, which is precisely what America's enemies at home and abroad were hoping for.

More our enemies at home, I'd say. The Vietnam era protestors are having a new heyday. Now they can paint our military in an unfavorable light again. Joy.

[Senormechanico]

I just sent this to GWB

President Bush,

We should not stand for the constant spin of the facts of this "torture" case

by democrats and the media. More lives were lost at Waco than at this prison. No heads rolled with Clinton or Reno running the show, although they should have.

It is time to take the offensive. Our LIVES and the life of the country depend on it.

Donald Rumsfeld is a great part of your administration. Tell the liberals to pound sand ! And while you're at it, tell Zedillo to do the same !

Thank you sir.

Respectfully,
(name edited)
Greenbank WA 98253

[bolobaby]

Actually, this whole thing makes me think of the POPULAR television show "24" where the HERO, Jack Bauer does far, far worse things to prisoners to extract information in order to save American lives.

I guess the American public can stomach their fictional heroes doing what is necessary, but they can't stand the real life heroes taking extraordinary precautions to safeguard the lives of Americans.

This is an excellent article no doubt. The only thing I would caution against is the assumption that everything that happened at the prison was above board. As a former servicemember myself (maybe I'll get back in after I'm sure their will be no commander-in-chief Kerry), I know that some military soldiers take things too far. Good NCOs need to be on hand to keep things in order. Sadly, even more grabasstic crapola goes on in mixed sex units (I was infantry, although I spent some time with some engineers to help straighten out their unit with some other infantry NCOs).

[genghis]

Just a little perspective- the hazing was less severe than the typical initiation for rush week.

[Intolerant in NJ]

Not to mention delivering a gut-punch to the morale of U.S. troops currently risking their lives in Iraq, which is precisely what America's enemies at home and abroad were hoping for...the antiwars now have their Iraqi My Lai Massacre to use to batter our troops and country with overblown charges about the brutality and futility of our mission - articles such as this one are going to be needed again and again to help maintain proportion and perspective........

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[NJJ]

Additionally, Secretary Rumsfeld said himself that there are pictures and videos with acts of rape and possibly murder.

I can see absolutely no purpose for these pictures and videos being released to the public. After the investigations are complete, they should apply military justice where it is appropriate. They can watchdog the appropriate tribunals as classified hearings, by both parties to make sure nothing inappropriate gets away unpunished. As long as those guilty receive justice (whatever it may be), that should be the end.

Releasing the evidence will only inflame the situation and very likely mean more lives lost on all sides. The only people that would benefit would be: 1) Our terrorist enemies, because it would strengthen their resolve. 2) Politicians, because it would benefit their political power base. 3) The media, because that's what they do.

Those that release this data should be able to answer which of the three reasons they are servicing. The only remaining question would be, if the public never sees the outrage, will the punishments be less severe or are these people going to be found guilty anyway and we are just waiting for the formalities.

Showing these pictures and videos would contribute nothing to clarifying the situation.

[jveritas]

The Bush administration should release all Saddam Hussein regime torture videos and photos and let the world know what is real "torture and abuse".

[Senormechanico]

THIS IS A WAR !!!

Get real.

Why should we have to worry about their "civil rights" when
they aren't even Americans, and are vowing to kill as many of
us as possible in ANY WAY possible?

SM

[no dems]

What can we do to get an article like this out to the general public?
It's like Joe Lieberman said the other day: "I don't recall hearing anyone apologize for the 3000 people killed on 9/11 or apologize for the four Americans whose charred, dead bodies were dragged through the streets and then hung over a bridge".
I say kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out.

[beckett]

The nation has been disgraced and dishonored by its own soldiers. There is no easy way to make it all go away.

In the entire history of this country, including some of the more gory acts that were alleged in Vietnam, there is nothing that equals an American soldier filming other American soldiers as they blatantly break the Geneva conventions. The mind boggles at the stupidity and banality of it.

When you're caught in a situation like this it is just naive, in my opinion, to think that a few letters to Congress can turn things around. We can only hope that as the story continues to unfold some exculpatory or at least mitigating facts will emerge. But it doesn't look good.

This could EASILY cost George Bush the election and it might even usher in decades of Democratic rule in this country. It's that serious, in my view.

[ladyinred]

I am with you. MY God this is WAR! What is the matter with these people? Does it take another 911 to make this country realize what the hell we are dealing with? I am livid so pardon my rant! Freepers are actually defending the over hype and reaction to this!!!! BEAM THEM UP SCOTTY! /rant off

[philman_36]

The nation has been disgraced and dishonored by its own soldiers.
NO NO NO! I wish people like you would quit this BS! If there is any disgrace and dishonor it is on the heads of those who perform such acts and only deserves to be placed on their heads.
As I said the other day...I've little pity or respect for those acting or those acted upon.
But this "group" shame/dishonor/disgrace BS has got to stop! No small group of people can effectually disgrace or dishonor this nation. If that were the case then this nation would've folded many times over years ago.
I said it then and I'll say it again...I've no shame/dishonor/disgrace as the actions were not my own. Everyone accountable for their own actions.
You're also playing a very liberal game with the manure you're pushing there!

[Valentine_W]

"We should not stand for the constant spin of the facts of this "torture" case by democrats and the media. More lives were lost at Waco than at this prison. No heads rolled with Clinton or Reno running the show, although they should have. It is time to take the offensive. Our LIVES and the life of the country depend on it. Donald Rumsfeld is a great part of your administration. Tell the liberals to pound sand ! And while you're at it, tell Zedillo to do the same !"

Actually, do all the nice folks at the Office of Presidential Correspondance a favor and don't send this garbage through for them to read. And conservative outlets like Newsmax certainly do us no favor by downplaying these incidents.

This is the kind of human tragedy that makes history books, destroys entire political careers, and demoralizes whole nations. You can't just brush atrocities like this aside, especially when we are just at the "tip of the iceberg" stage. What if those prisons also held, as rumored, little boys and women? Bush and Rumsfeld are going to get all the flack for the poor and immoral decisions of others and it sickens me.

[beckett]

I understand your point, but I disagree. When a soldier wears the nation's uniform he is representing the nation. He took an oath to that effect in fact. And when he dishonors that uniform he dishonors the nation. If you think otherwise, take it up with George Patton and many of the other great commanding officers this country has produced who admonished their troops along the same lines.

That's not to say that almost all our wonderful men and women in uniform do not dishonor but in fact greatly honor the nation. For such great men and women I have nothing but respect and admiration.

But when greatly dishonorable acts such as these are exposed, and the perpetrators are American men and women in uniform, the whole nation is dishonored. The moral core of our mission in Iraq has been badly damaged.

Those photos will stain the nation FOREVER. Get used to it.

[philman_36]

Those photos will stain the nation FOREVER. Get used to it.
NO, those photos will NOT stain the nation FOREVER. Get over it.
If your scenario were accurate then the nation and the office of POTUS would be stained forever because of the actions of x42.
Well guess what, that isn't going to happen either. Get used to it.

I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.
W. J. Clinton January 26, 1998 White House news conference on education
Indeed, I did have a relationship with Ms. Lewinsky that was not appropriate.
W. J. Clinton August 17, 1998 Nationally televised speech

[beckett]

Look, you want to drag Slick Willy into it, go for it. Knock yourself out. But you'll be wasting your time. Slick Willy has nothing to do with what we are confronted with here, and invoking his name has no power to distract from the issue at hand.

Whether you realize it or not, the photos these asinine Reservist MPs took in that prison will be used by our enemies, foreign and domestic, FOREVER. Our enemies have never been handed a more powerful propaganda tool. Indeed with the exception perhaps of the spies who gave away the secrets to the atom bomb, no American traitor has ever damaged the nation more severely than than the dumb kid who took those photos.