Most Iraqi detainees 'arrested by mistake'

Financial Times ^ | May 10 2004 | Frances Williams

[Dick Holmes]

Found on Google News, the story claims:

The report, published in full on Monday by the Wall Street Journal, said arrests tended to follow a pattern. "Arresting authorities entered houses usually after dark, breaking down doors, waking up residents roughly, yelling orders, forcing family members into one room under military guard while searching the rest of the house and further breaking doors, cabinets and other property.

"Sometimes they arrested all adult males present in a house, including elderly, handicapped or sick people. Treatment often included pushing people around, insulting, taking aim with rifles, punching and kicking and striking with rifles."

The report said some coalition military intelligence officers estimated that "between 70 per cent and 90 per cent of the persons deprived of their liberty in Iraq had been arrested by mistake".

[sheik yerbouty]

"I wuz framed!"

[F.J. Mitchell]

Arresting and/or taking prisoners is always a mistake. Next subject?

[F.J. Mitchell]

Tom Daschle is very happy on the inside-feigning great sadness on the outside.

[mrustow]

Please forgive me for the interruption and for the typeface, but we need all FReepers, their friends, lovers, enemies, relatives, spouses, exes, acquaintances, strangers, debtors, creditors, colleagues, bosses and subordinates to sign The Federalist's petition to save Don Rumsfeld!

Thank you!

RUMMY Petition

We now return to the regularly scheduled thread.

[mrustow]

I'd like to see the Red Cross's records. They are far from an impartial organiation. The ICRC has been demanding control over our detention camps (Gitmo, etc.). Red Cross people support Arab terrorists, and want to set all the bad guys free. (After 911, Red Cross officials helped spread the blood libel that claimed that 911 was carried out by the Mossad.)

[jjm2111]

ggordon - member since 5/9/2004. What are you a skeptic of? And where did you get your "And yes, some of those mistreated were elderly, handicapped or sick." info from?

[AFPhys]

the source and author of this are clearly delusional...

[kidd]

There is a big difference between being arrested and being detained. I would guess that most "arrests" (if that is the appropriate term to use in a war zone) lead to an immediate release. The only ones detained would be those who represent a threat of some sort.

I glad to hear that the military is not leaving any stones unturned.

[CWOJackson]

Thanks for showing up...I knew there had to be at least one of your type who would cry about this. Damn those no-knock raids.

[ggordon22]

ggordon - member since 5/9/2004. What are you a skeptic of? And where did you get your "And yes, some of those mistreated were elderly, handicapped or sick." info from?

That was a slightly-facetious reply to an earlier post that read, "Did you ever notice that the only people who live in Arab countries are children and 'elderly, handicapped or sick people'," a mean-spirited comment if there ever was one. And I got my info from articles including the one that began this tread.

I am skeptical of governments that lie to me, people who think freedom should only be extended to a select few, who are so sure of their righteousness they cannot recognize the humanity of those who disagree, and those who believe whatever their leaders tell them (among other things).

[weegee]

I'm skeptical of posters who are new to a CONSERVATIVE discussion forum who think that the ACLU is a nonpartisan organization.

[ggordon22]

Actually, it's true, I don't know much about the ACLU's actual background, besides what I read in the papers and a book I read on J. Edgard Hoover. I'd certainly be willing to listen to your perspective on the organization.

I never claimed to be a conservative. I always thought of myself as being merely a moderate, hating political correctness, convinced of the need for governments' fiscal responsibility, but also pro-choice etc. I think I am liberal on some issues, conservative on others. But to some people here, I must sound like the president of the Karl Marx fan club (no doubt that choice of words will be used against me:).

[Skywalk]

Well, stick around, don't let anyone run you off. As long as everyone exchanges ideas reasonably and respectfully, we should all be OK. There is also quite a variety on this board, from very moderate Republicans who sound more like liberals, to some police bootlickers who sound like fascists to libertarians to old-style paleocons to neocons(whatever these terms really mean)

I'd say that it's possible individual ACLU chapters try for some balance, but on the whole they do not respect the Constitution. They apparently do not support the Boy Scouts right as a private org to ban gay scout leaders. I have not ONCE seen ACLU behind a 2nd Amendment case.

The ACLU will defend some non-left clients, this is true, but they have a limited view of "civil liberties" and seem slanted to the left the majority of the time.

[ggordon22]

Well, stick around, don't let anyone run you off.

Thanks for the welcome!

The second amendment point is something I can see. I used to be convinced that no private citizen should own a handgun, until someone eloquently explained the notion of a well-armed populace to me. After much thought, I came to understand that the right to bear arms is perhaps something worthy of being defended. Not to bear assault rifles, but arms, yes.

[weegee]

I don't read FR to educate you on the issues. You are free to read and post on any topic under the sun.

It is highly offtopic to address these issues in this thread and I am only one of thousands of FReepers.

[jjm2111]

"notice that the only people who live in Arab countries are children and 'elderly, handicapped or sick people'," a mean-spirited comment if there ever was one."

Not THAT mean-spirited. I think the writer was poking fun at the way many media outlets spin things. I read the ICRC report in its entirety, and I tell you I have trouble believing all of it.

I'm of the opinion, that it was an MI event and that it wasn't a couple of troopers getting their rocks off. But I laugh at the ICRC seeming to believe every allegation of 'persons deprived of their liberty'.

"people who think freedom should only be extended to a select few, who are so sure of their righteousness they cannot recognize the humanity of those who disagree, and those who believe whatever their leaders tell them (among other things)."

What you do mean by that? What people are you talking about who think 'freedom should only be extended to a select few'....

Also, IMO, most people in this world, believe what they want to believe and do not let facts get in their way.