Rush: Outrage Over Iraqi Prisoner Torture Comparable to Outrage Over Tailhook Scandal

Rush Limbaugh Show ^ | 5/4/2004 | myself

[Pyro7480]

As he was closing out his show today, Rush Limbaugh stated that the media hype over the Iraqi prisoner torture and one reporter's comparison of the torture to Saddam's regime (and the media's lack of outrage over it) is comparable to the media hype over Tailhook scandal, and the comparable lack of outrage of the storming of the Waco compound.

[dougherty]

LOL

[mudblood]

"the media will do all in it's power to run with a story like this"

The media in this country should be censored during wartime. They give out everything a terrorist needs to evade detection and kill Americans. They give aid and comfort to the enemy. All writings and photos received by the media concerning military activities should be cleared by someone appointed by the President before being released to the public during a war. This is insane.

[O6ret]

...then you have no right to comment....

Nonsense. I have no love for Islam or those fanatics who hold to its tenets, but what separates us from them is exactly what you would hold meaningless.

Where do you get the right to tell someone else that they have no right to an opinion or self expression? The combat situation has no relation to the treament of prisoners.

In this case there was a fundamental failure in leadership. The officers and non-coms in the chain of command are just as guilty as the perpetrators. They should have known and anticipated that the difficult conditions and emotional reactions were potential trip wires. They should increased staff, training, and if necessary, surveillance. And now, they should not be standing around pointing fingers, saying "We didn't know."

[Northern Yankee]

I agree what was done was not right...

That being said, we look at things with a different perspective here in the United States. These men and women are living in impossible conditions where living quarters are less than desirable, the food is luke warm at best, and the threat of death every day is very real to American soldiers.

Reading of atrocities done by both sides during war is not uncommon. (Look at the savagery men put up with in the Pacific and in Europe during WW2... knocking out gold fillings with K-bars, shooting prisoners, etc.)

I certainly don't condone what was done, but lets be real here folks. They are not living in the comfort of our country, and their job is not a 9 - 5 job.

I think Rush was right on the money, that some politicians are using this to make hay during a political election year.

We don't need a damned commission of snot - nosed senators telling the army what to do. Let the Army handle this, and let's get on in winning this war!

[CyberAnt]

I agree .. plus the pictures of what the IRAQIS did to our contractors in Fallujah is way above and beyond the juvenile intimidation stuff our soldiers did.

Still .. I don't agree with what they did .. or the taking of pictures of what they did .. and I don't believe the female general who was relieved of command in January is telling all she knows about it.

And .. as usual Daschle is on the TV saying the Congress didn't know about the investigation .. and today Rumsfeld said that's incorrect. Memos were sent through all the proper channels.

[dougherty]

How very true. I wish all those sobbing over this 'torture' and 'abuse' could put things into perspective.

[k2blader]

Why are some people more outraged at the media than at the scum who committed the perverted acts?

We should already *expect* the media to go gaga over stories related to Iraqi prisoner abuse and gloss over stories such as the murder and mutilation of American contractors in Fallujah.

The media was never on our soldiers' side, never on our President's side, and never will be. But that in no way excuses the crimes committed by a very small number of soldiers at Al Ghraib.

Rush is wrong to attempt to sweep this under the rug.

[Mr. Mojo]

If they weren't executed when captured, what gives you the right to do so?

I would have no right whatsoever; I'd have to be given the order to do so by my commanding officer (and that order clearly wasn't given). I was just telling you what I think those orders should've been (in my post #67).

[mudblood]

"Rush is wrong to attempt to sweep this under the rug."

Sweeping it under the rug? Nope. He was putting it into perspective - something that is lacking in this case. I don't think they were scum - they were softening the prisoners up for intelligence gathering (or getting it outright). The only mistake here was the photographing of it. If we photographed every America-related act of torture, humiliation, or discomforting of terrorists and their allies and then put it on prime-time, France, Germany and CANADA would simultaneously explode from the sheer horror if it. On second thought, maybe we should do that...get rid of 3 enemies in 1 blow.

[Dead Dog]

How often do we hear about "Arab Outrage". Really, I kinda get a bit tired of it. Every time a Rabbi passes gas, the Arab World is Outraged. The Arab World is a culture of non-producing, non-hacking cry babies. It should be our job to outrage them.

As for what went on with the prisoners, juvenile, unprofessional, and completely prosecutable under UCMJ. The real damage will be all the PC fallout that will hinder our intelligence interaction's of future captured lowlifes.

These A'HOLES have, and are withholding intel that could save Americans. They intended to kill, and plan to kill Americans in the future. Playing nude Twister should be the least of their concerns. BTW, from what I understand of Muslim Arabs, getting molested probably brings them back to their boyhood memories.

[Dead Dog]

From what I understand, this humiliation was part of the information extraction process. It wasn't about sadistic fun, the jailers were operationg under direction from other agencies.

[livius]

Interesting comments based on your experience.

I am appalled by this event, but now that I have had more time to think about it, I think Rush is right. None of their behavior was excusable, and I don't think it's going to be excused. But it's definitely getting a lot more play in the Muslim world and the West than Saddam's genuine torture did, or the many genuine atrocities routinely perpetrated by Muslim armies and irregulars alike in Africa, for example.

As for the female officers, I think this may have less to do with being female and more to do with being anti-Bush in the Buchananite sense. Doesn't Karpinski have sort of a track record, having appeared on TV to criticize Bush even before this thing broke? I recall reading several posters who watch more TV than I do commenting on this; please correct me if I'm wrong.

[k2blader]

Would you have a link for that?

Thanks in advance.

[Dead Dog]

That was the public statement from there commanding General.

[Right_in_Virginia]

The soldiers who did this, regardless of their intentions, have done truly serious harm to the United States

They have done serious harm to themselves. The extent to which they have damaged the United States is up to us.

I think Rush's point today was that we need to be vigilent not to throw out the innocent baby with the dirty bath water. Americans did this in Vietnam...and it was one of the lowest points in our history.

Beware of the pundits "outrage" over this....beware that their fingers may point not to a few bad apples...but to the entire band of heroes called "the U.S. Military"....

And it needs to be remembered that our heroes are a band we rely on, who in staggering numbers show restraint and compassion... and who have earned our respect and gratitude.

Our fighting men and women need our support now more than ever. Let's give it to them.

[Pukin Dog]

Rush's comments were 100% correct.

The current generation of Female Military Officers across the Military is a very sad lot. This is the PC generation of women officers, selected more for their gender than their ability.

With the Marines as exception, I do not trust a single female flag officer in today's military. Not a single one. I do not have any respect for an Officer, male or female, who shirks their responsibility. It is an HONOR to serve this nation, not a dammed duty. Anyone tasked with Officer duties in this nations military needs to thank their lucky stars for the opportunity put before them.

Karpinsky is lucky that she wont likely meet the Dog in a dark alley, because that is one woman that I would gladly punch in her mouth. She is a disgrace, and when you disgrace my Military, you disgrace me. I hope they fry the bitch.

[woofer2425]

I was thinking the same thing. These pics all look like college pranks. So these arab prisoners were embarrassed a bit. Big Deal. At least they're not getting the cowboy sh-t beat out of of them, or burned to death and drug through the streets, or executed with a bullet through their head. Was it a stupid thing to do...Yes
The leftist communist news media is making way too big a deal of this. They want to hurt our military and our president. They really inhale immensely.

[k2blader]

If "the only mistake [the soldiers did] here was the photographing of it":

Why were they removed from duty, and why are they facing charges or reprimands?

Why did President Bush say:
"I share a deep disgust that those prisoners were treated the way they were treated. Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America." ?

Source

Why is President Bush interested in "strong actions and steps that the military is taking to address matters in the prison system in Iraq and prevent prisoner abuse" ?

Source

Why did Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld say:
"The actions of the soldiers in those photographs are totally unacceptable and un-American. Any who engaged in such action let down their comrades who serve honorably each day and they let down their country." ?

Why did Secretary of State Colin Powell say:
"I can assure you that no stone will be left unturned to make sure that justice is done and to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again." ?

Why did National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice say:
"The president has told the secretary of defense that he expects people to be held accountable, and that he wants, too, to know that this is not a systemic problem. In other words, quite apart from the specific cases of those particular photographs, Americans do not dehumanize other people. That is not why we're in Iraq. We're in Iraq to liberate a people, to help them." ?

Source

[cricket]

Well, he said much more than that; so to comment on 'one' comment; is close to pulling this out of context.

In any event; I totally agree with Rush inasmuch as we now know about it; and are doing something about; the corrections are being made. There is a war on; and we need to take care of business and we need to stop the'collective mea culpas' - (my words;not his).

But, as Rush pointed out, worse things have happened to men in captivity; including ours, at the hands of the Iraqis - and of course, 'war is not Sesame Street; we will not find Big Bird or Barney (for that matter)in Iraq; nor Dr. Phil exlaining relaxation techniques to the soldiers et al'. . .

That said, perspective is paramount here; and we cannot let our enemies define this, for us.

And for those who make their living hating the US; including the Libs right here at home; I personally would like to say on this Military episode; STUFF it. We are moving on.

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

>>>"The outrage is that the guards ENJOYED what they were doing and photographed it. It is the photographed enjoyment that makes the treatment barbarous, not the specific acts."

Exactly.

Any American caught on film should be promptly punished. The person(s) who released these pictures to media companies should also be found and prosecuted as this action has seriously hurt the prosecution of this war.

The outrage is that these Americans were deriving pleasure from the acts. The nature of the acts should be reviewed against acceptable standards of interrogation that are appropriate for the situation. This should be approved by Rumsfeld, but not published to the enemy.

Hoppy