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Truth About Iraqis
Leslie Stahl on 60 Minutes: "We have heard that half a million [Iraqi] children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth it?"
US Secretary of State Madeline Albright: "I think this is a very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it." | | |
| By Truth about Iraqis The premise for the Iraq war, the conduct of US troops, the veracity of claims that Iraqis are liberated and claims that Iraq is free and in a state of progress continue to come under scrutiny.
And under scrutiny the lies are unraveled and military conduct is further blemished.
The revelation of the horrors, abuses, murders and atrocities committed against Iraqis detained at Abu Ghraib is continuing to make headlines in world media as a little more of the extent of these crimes is revealed every week, every month.
In the latest of such reports: The three groups who researched what they called "widespread" torture and detainee abuse by US personnel said many abuses were never investigated, or inquiries were often concluded or stalled without further action.
"Two years ago, US officials said the abuses at Abu Ghraib were aberrations and that people who abused detainees would be brought to justice," said Meg Satterthwaite of New York University's Centre for Human Rights and Global Justice, one of the groups behind the study.
"Yet our research shows that detainee abuses were widespread, and few people have truly been brought to justice," Ms Satterthwaite said. It has been the position of this blog that very few of these crimes see the light of the day or are addressed by a judicial system.
A fraction of those that are publicized or brought to the attention of the court, most usually end in meaningless sentences.
The US military, it has become clear, has instituted extreme prejudice against these cases giving rise to the perception that atrocities against Iraqis are sanctioned and are not internally investigated (if at all) UNLESS the media picks up the story or Iraqis manage to compile sufficient incriminating evidence."An analysis of alleged abuse cases shows that promises of transparency, investigation, and appropriate punishment for those responsible remain unfulfilled," said the report -- which was carried out by New York University's Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First.
"Authorities have failed to investigate many allegations, or have investigated them inadequately," the report said. "And numerous personnel implicated in abuse cases have not been prosecuted or punished."
Nevertheless, some of these cases do receive the attention they merit but for reasons highly irrelevant to the widescale murder of Iraqi citizens.
According to the AP, "A high-ranking Army officer will be criminally charged in connection with the abuse of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, his attorney says."
Notice the phrase "in connection".
"Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan is expected to be charged by Friday by the Army with dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming an officer, lying to investigators and other crimes, according to his attorney, Samuel Spitzberg. Jordan would be the highest-ranking officer to face charges in connection with abuse of prisoners at the facility."
Notice the charges. And again "in connection".
They talk about democracy this and democracy that. But is justice not the cornerstone of democracy? " ... liberty and justice for all".
No, justice for the select few, the proud, the ... well you know how it goes. | | | | |
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