An American Disaster: Prisoner Abuse in Iraq

The New York Post ^ | May 1, 2004 | Ralph Peters

[ultima ratio]

By RALPH PETERS May 1, 2004 -- THE United States just experienced its first true disaster in Iraq. As news of the disgraceful mistreatment of prisoners by American soldiers sweeps the world, our enemies celebrate a major propaganda gift. Even our friends cannot defend the indefensible. On the battlefield, we must be fierce. But once an enemy becomes a prisoner of our military, he must be treated justly and humanely. Strictness, yes. Abuse, no.

[Williams]

I ask this. Are we a newborn baby? Are we the most naive people to ever walk this Earth? Are we not aware that this type of thing - and worse - happens in every war? That there will always be bad apples in every barrel? And are we so unsophisticated that if an American serviceperson even murders an Iraqi, we believe that should condemn the entire U.S. Miltary? I am just flabergasted that evey mistake, every setback, every aberration is treated as though the sky is falling.

[Cultural Jihad]

An out-of-control gang in uniform just made a mockery of those Americans who have died to bring a better future to Iraq. They shamed every soldier serving today. And every one of us who served in the past.

They should receive the John Kerry Medal of Shame.

[dts32041]

I hate to Agree with LTC Peters on this cause he supported the perfumed prince shineski, but he is correct.

Systemic failure, a command failure, but not because of the lack of trained professionals, but the lack of command guidance.

Every solider knows the basics of the Geneva Convention, every MP after training, knows what is acceptable and not acceptable in treating prisoners, the Commander didn't care and only wanted her ticket punched for the next rank.

A left over from the zero defect 90's.

[vandykelastone]

THey shamed themselves. We are not shamed until we don't handle this news properly and punish those guilty.

[Mr. K]

Well the world will see how we treat people who abuse others- whether they be a foreign dictator, or our own\\

These people should be court-martialed

[Triple Word Score]

When the problem is as pervasive and deep as this is, yes, the sky is falling.

You can't do a big job with baby steps.

I agree with every word in this article, and regret the fact that the Dems have so hamstrung the President (and, for many years, the military) that we got to this point.

Severely punishing these people will fix it to some extent, but again, the problem is that we're trying to do with reservists and contractors what ought to be done by the kind of military Reagan ran.

Not the kind of military Clinton handed George W. Bush, cut to the bone and beyond, weak and depending on part-timers and civilians whose training is not really for WAR.

[steplock]

"...our enemies celebrate a major propaganda gift."

This gift is courtesy of of american left-wing radical communist news agencies/reporters.

There is NO first amendment issue here - it's a matter of who's side are you on?

AMERICA's? or TERRORISTS'?

[ex-snook]

"These people should be court-martialed "

How about swapping them for honorable hostages?

[Agnes Heep]

I ask this. Are we a newborn baby? Are we the most naive people to ever walk this Earth? Are we not aware that this type of thing - and worse - happens in every war? That there will always be bad apples in every barrel?

Put it in perspective. Human nature being what it is, there will never cease to be bad apples in the barrel. The difference between us and them is that we don't use this as an excuse to tolerate the bad apples. We pick them out.

[tioga]

Well said, I am ashamed of them, but not our whole military.

[xzins]

Specially trained or not in POW care, there is no excuse for what they did.

It's obviously wrong to anyone who is human, much less someone who's been trained in our system. It's simply not tolerated. I don't feel sorry for any of them if they spend time in prison themselves. I cannot imagine the "I had no idea" defense.

All of them knew better.

[ColoradoSlim]

Who the heck cares but a bunch of limp wristed liberal types? If our guys did do that and I'm not saying they did it was probably just to blow off some steam. They been seeing their buddies get blown to hell by these guys, can you blame them? I've seen worse hazing in high school (we came from a rough neighborhood). Anyway that's just too dang bad for them muzzys. They didn't end up with a bullet in their head like what they give to most of the western prisoners they take. I'd say those boys are way ahead of the game. Shoot, they probably got a square meal afterward and they also got a good story to tell their grandkids.

[Sam Cree]

This kind of thing is only a disaster or disgrace if our troops do it. For the armies of the rest of the world, with perhaps a few European exceptions, it is SOP and expected. Not only expected, but accepted.

[roses of sharon]

CBS did this delibrately to hurt Bush and the war effort.

Just as Kerry did when he came back and smeared all soldiers in the field with criminal behavior.

Criminals in the military are not usual, as in all human communities.

But for the UN, Europe and our left-wing, to use this as an excuse for the reduction of American power is dishonest.

But of course, that is what they have been doing for 40 years, letting the Islamic cults roam the globe with impunity, as victims, while calling Israel and the US the aggressors.

As with Koppel's show dishonoring our war-dead, CBS, and the Kerry/UN/Soros ticket, that has a stated goal of "bursting the bubble of American supremacy", and Kerry's history of troop smearing, that goal has been reached.

American's are soft, Oprah-like, and have a sitcom mentality, from years of neglect.

We shall see if they come thru, or if they cave to OBL's discription of us.

[Political Junkie Too]

I ask this. Are we a newborn baby? Are we the most naive people to ever walk this Earth? Are we not aware that this type of thing - and worse - happens in every war?

No prior war has ever had this type of real-time media coverage, at such a close-up level of detal, available at the press of a button, to anyone in the world.

-PJ

[patriciamary]

I totally agree. How do you think American prisoners are treated by the Iraqis far far worst than that. I know lets bring then to the US, give then a free education, job opportunities far beyond those of the average American citizen or better yet make them lifers on welfare, oh wait we do that already!

[cpdiii]

When Americans were killed and mutilated this act was celebrated in the Arab Press and shown on our televisions here in the United States. No Arab leaders condemned the action of the murdering terrorists. Thugs gathered in the street to celebrate and burn those bodies and dance. I wish we had hit them with a hellfire missile.

These American Soldiers will be court martialed and in all probability spend time in Leavenworth Prison and at the completion of their sentence be dishonorably discharged.
There is a hell of a difference!

[proud American in Canada]

"The thugs of Abu Gharaib - the American thugs - just dealt the greatest blow to America's prestige since the fall of Saigon. In the Middle East, this story will morph into myth and outlast our lifetimes. It will haunt our every effort. And yes, it will recruit terrorists."

Yep... that's why GW should consider addressing the Iraqi people directly.

Something important has to be done to try to mitigate the damage.

[BradyLS]

How about swapping them for honorable hostages?

Hard logic. We have too many laws in place for that to happen as we'd like. It's due process first and then we'll see what's left for an exchange.