The 'Torture Narrative' Unravels

The Wall Street Journal ^ | October 1, 2005 | Robert L. Pollock

[No Longer Free State]

It's hardly a secret that Private First Class Lynndie England was sentenced this past week for her role as "leash girl" in the infamous abuses photographed at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003. But it was also noticeable that the denouement of this spectacular story was relegated to the innards of newspapers that had once given it weeks of front-page treatment. That's almost surely because the trial of the last of the Maryland Army Reservists to face justice -- like those of the others that came before her -- offered no evidence to support claims that the abuses were caused by a Bush administration that had "created the climate" or "set the tone" for "torture."...

So-called "torture memos" were unearthed, in which administration lawyers had discussed the range of permissible interrogation techniques -- for al Qaeda suspects in the wake of 9/11. And by one of the greatest leaps of logic ever seriously entertained in our national discourse, those memos were said to have caused the behavior of soldiers in Iraq who knew nothing beyond the limits outlined in the Army Field Manual. Ted Kennedy, for one, offered up a useful reminder of why Americans have never wanted him to be president by declaring that "Saddam's torture chambers reopened under new management, U.S. management."...

In all, seven guards and two military-intelligence personnel have now faced justice for the Abu Ghraib abuses, with even those pleading guilty undergoing detailed sentencing hearings. No evidence has emerged to support the theory that abuses had anything to do with interrogation.

[No Longer Free State]

Anyone expect an apology from Chappaquiddick Ted any time soon?

[MichaelP]

Anyone expect an apology from Chappaquiddick Ted any time soon?

No, just go away please!

Mike

[mrjeff]

Anyone know of some serious rebuttal to the near hysterical denunciations of the administration over this torture business at andrewsullivan.com (especially concerning Fishback's allegations)?

[Maceman]

Anyone know of some serious rebuttal to the near hysterical denunciations of the administration over this torture business

Well here is my serious rebuttal to Ted Kennedy any time he exhibits moral outrage about anything.

DISCLAIMER: This photograph is fake but accurate.

[Alia]

Ping.

[Trimegistus]

Not to mention the fact that most people in this country still think the main problem with the Abu Ghraib torture was that it didn't involve enough cattle prods, heated pokers, and pliers.

[Hoboken]

In an attempt to destroy our president, Democrats tried to paint our entire military with the Abu Graib brush. Now, its proven that this was a completely isolated circumstance. I believe our fighting men and women are owed a pound of flesh. I mean, contrast Valerie Plame's alleged exposure to the besmirching of our troops. Libs are truly vile!

[No Longer Free State]

Great point.

[soldier143]

As a soldier who was there and am back home now, I can say that people don't treat me as though I had anything remotely to do with Abu Ghraib, that's a non-issue. Most Americans see Abu Ghraib for what it was, an aberration but they also don't believe that it was just a handful of troops at the bottom. Most wonder why there weren't at least a few officers sent to the slammer and so do I. Unfortunately I saw more than a few corrupt scumbag officers while I was in Iraq and think that some of them should be paying alongside their troops at least for dereliction of duty.