Land of Oz

Iraq Prisons

First, let me get the obligatory “oh gee – that’s so terrible, how inhumane, etc.” out of the way. And actually it is – it should never have happened. OK, now let’s look at who was involved in this. These are basically kids. In a normal world they’d be hanging out around McDonalds playing grab ass and wolfing down hamburgers. Instead, they’re indefinitely stuck in a foreign (and I don’t mean foreign like England or Germany – I mean foreign like an alien world) country where everyday a couple of their friends are dying and a few more are getting their arms and legs blown off. It’s hot, dusty, dirty and dangerous and they’re in their 20s.

What were you doing in your twenties? Were you driving down some desert road where every pile of garbage or dead dog could be bomb with your name on it? Were you trying to control a hostile crowd of people who have no idea what you’re saying. Were you somewhere where many look at you as foreign invaders (basically because you ARE foreign invaders). Were you wondering why you were traveling around in an unarmoured vehicle and why your bosses wouldn’t let you armour it?

Or were you driving down to the mall to buy some CDs. Or maybe griping about the cost of gasoline. Maybe you were pissed because 7-11 quit carrying your favorite candy bar. This is what those kids should be worrying about. They shouldn’t have to be worrying about whether an order was legal or not or whether some CIA spook in civvies was actually who he said he was. You have officers who are supposed to be in charge. They are the ones who should never have let this mess occur.

Yep – there is something seriously disturbing about the photos of the female GI and her “thumbs up” gesture and broad smile standing among naked prisoners. However, there’s something even more disturbing that her chain of command allowed her to get into that situation in the first place.

2fers: The Salon and US Army