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The Stain of Abu Ghraib

By Reed Brody, TomPaine.com. Posted April 29, 2005.


The United States is doing what authoritarian governments do the world over when their abuses are discovered--loudly proclaiming its respect for human rights while covering up and shifting blame.

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It has now been one year since the appearance of the first pictures of U.S. soldiers humiliating and torturing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

In the intervening months, it has become clear that Abu Ghraib was only the tip of the iceberg. Around the world, in a long archipelago of recognized detention centers from Iraq and Aghanistan to Guantánamo and in "secret locations" where CIA prisoners are kept, the United States is brutalizing Muslim detainees in the name of the war on terror.

Torture, of course, can occur anywhere. What matters--and what determines whether torture is a mere aberration or state policy--is how a government responds. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld recognized this when, shortly after the first public revelations, he "[Said] to the world: Judge us by our actions. Watch how Americans, watch how a democracy deals with wrongdoing and scandal and the pain of acknowledging and correcting our own mistakes and  weaknesses."  Then-Secretary of State Colin Powell recognized this, too, when he told  foreign leaders: "Watch America. Watch how we deal with this. Watch how America will do the right thing."

Regrettably, however, the United States is not doing the right thing. Rather, it is doing what authoritarian governments do the world over when their abuses are discovered--loudly proclaiming its respect for human rights while covering up and shifting blame downwards to low-ranking officials and "rogue actors." Ten investigations by the Pentagon have only looked down the chain of command, while prosecutions have targeted only those privates and sergeants directly involved in abuse. Just last week, the Army cleared Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the former senior U.S. commander in Iraq, of any wrongdoing. Yet just before the worst abuses at Abu Ghraib, Gen. Sanchez authorized interrogators to "exploit Arab fear of dogs."  They did, and we know what happened.

Because a wall of immunity appears to surround the policy architects, Human Rights Watch has called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the culpability of Secretary Rumsfeld and ex-CIA Director George Tenet, among others.

Secretary Rumsfeld should be investigated under the doctrine of "command responsibility"--the legal principle that holds a superior responsible for crimes committed by his subordinates when he knew or should have known that they were being committed but fails to take reasonable measures to stop them. Secretary Rumsfeld approved interrogation techniques which violated the Geneva Conventions and the Convention Against Torture, such as the use of guard dogs to frighten prisoners and painful "stress" positions. There is no evidence that, over a three-year period of mounting reports of abuse, Rumsfeld exerted his authority and warned those under his command that the mistreatment of prisoners must stop. Had he done so, many of the crimes committed by U.S. forces certainly could have been avoided.

Under George Tenet's direction--and reportedly with his specific authorization--the CIA has "rendered" detainees to countries such as Syria and Egypt where they were tortured, making Tenet potentially liable as an accomplice to torture. The CIA has also "disappeared" detainees in secret locations and it is said to have used "waterboarding," in which the detainee's head is pushed under water until he believes he will drown, also reportedly with Tenet's authorization.

Why should we care about what happens to detainees?  First, because, despite the information apparently gleaned from some suspects, the systematic U.S. mistreatment of Muslim prisoners has created resentment against the United States and become a recruiting tool for jihad, thereby making the world less safe from terror. Many Americans still do not appreciate how the torture scandal has damaged the country's reputation.  As the 9/11 Commission said, "allegations that the United States abused prisoners in its custody make it harder to build the diplomatic, political, and military alliances the government will need."

Second, the torture and "disappearance" of prisoners by the United States invites all the unsavory governments in the world to do the same. Indeed, countries from Sudan to Zimbabwe have already cited the torture scandal to justify their own practices or to blunt criticism.

But our concern must stem, first and foremost, from the acceptance of methods that are antithetical to a democracy and that betray the U.S. identity as a nation of law. If the United States embraces the torture and "disappearance" of its opponents, it abandons its ideals and becomes a lesser nation. 

If the United States is to wipe away the stain of Abu Ghraib, it needs to investigate  those at the top who ordered or condoned torture and repudiate--once and for all--the mistreatment of detainees.

Digg!

Reed Brody is special counsel at Human Rights Watch and the author of three reports on detainee abuse.

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View:
"The Stain of Abu Ghraib"
Posted by: CJC on Apr 29, 2005 6:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"The fish stinks from the head."
It stinks not only from Rumsfeld but from the President himself.
Unfortunately for all of us, the principle of taking responsibility for all one's actions, not just credit for success, is not honored by this administration.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: "The Stain of Abu Ghraib" Posted by: polyquats
Where's the outrage?
Posted by: Stano on Apr 29, 2005 7:38 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What's even sadder is the lack of outrage from the American public. That Donald Rumsfeld has been allowed to stay in his position is nothing short of hypocrisy.

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» RE: Where's the outrage? Posted by: Sandy47
herecomesgenesis
Posted by: herecomesgenesis on Apr 29, 2005 7:51 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The public is too busy watching NASCAR, American Idol, and Dr. Phil.

We live in a time of bread and circuses.

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» RE: herecomesgenesis Posted by: paschn@comcast.net
The coming national nightmare
Posted by: fespada on Apr 29, 2005 8:31 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We are slowly descending into a national nightmare which will engulf us in a new version of classic facism.
We, as a people, have been socialized to believe it can't happen here. But all the conditions are in place:
Almost total control of our national institutions of power, combined with a toxic mix of right-wing fundamentalism has set the stage.

We need hundreds of Paul Reveres.

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» RE: The coming national nightmare Posted by: paschn@comcast.net
All Good Posts
Posted by: nakis on Apr 29, 2005 9:12 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Yes, it's true. It's the teflon presidency. Can't make a damn thing stick to that surface. Accountability is a thing of the past. Gone are the presidents who suffered in their soul for the dramatics actions they had to take.
There was a stick and call to remove Rumsfield as there has been a continuous call for the impeachment of the president and vice president. But as been aptly stated, too many people are enjoying the circus. Enjoying ego sourced inflated beliefs of what we as a nation are. Too many people believing in the fascist ideals. Too many willing to believe the lies and propaganda carefully dished out.
Torture, kidnapping, unlawful detainment (to the unConstitutional Patriot Acts) are the responsibility of the Pentagon and White House. Yes, the grunts who did the physical labor are guilty too. They could have refused. Paid for that refusal but what's worse? Punishment for refusal or what they did to fellow human beings? None of them are innocent. From the privates to the president to average American citizen.
This is not a simplistic outlook. Crimes were committed. Some involved were punished and the rest were not. And we are letting it go. Paint it grey if you like. It's still black underneath.

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» RE: All Good Posts Posted by: nakis
» RE: All Good Posts Posted by: paschn@comcast.net
» RE: Dean Koontz Posted by: Iamnotafruittree
Abuse? Torture? Get Real!
Posted by: jakealeah on Apr 29, 2005 9:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Dressing up in ladies underwear, stacking up naked bodies is not torture. Being gassed, burned alive, skinning one alive is torture. If you think Americans were abusive at this prison, why don't you do some historical studies on the Assyrian culture, you will find that for centuries the "Assyrians" have prided themselves in actual torture, and I am talking about for thousands of years.

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» RE: Abuse? Torture? Get Real! Posted by: MajorWalrus
» RE: Abuse? Torture? Get Real! Posted by: valbevill
» RE: Abuse? Torture? Get Real! Posted by: ericschenk
A stain on America
Posted by: Susan D on Apr 29, 2005 7:39 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
America is becoming barbaric thanks to the barbaric tactics of the Bushie Administration.
Bushie is an American stain that will take years to wash out.
He's an embarrassment to all of us.
To claim that he leads by his faith in God is appalling.
votetoimpeach.org

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Polyglotte11
Posted by: Polyglotte11 on May 8, 2005 5:53 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In his article, Reed Brody asked why we should care about what happens to detainees.
He lists as his first reason the effect this will have on our relations with the Muslim world and our efficacy in the war on terrorism, and how this will "damage our reputation." I believe he falls short there and is even insensitive to the ideals of this country. Are we only concerned with what others think about us? I think the FIRST REASON for NOT torturing prisoners should be because it is IMMORAL, not because of some fear of bad PR or how it might be imitated. Later, as an afterthought he mentions that these methods are contrary to our ideals. Morality does not belong to any one group of people. We are all responsible for upholding the highest morals if we are supposed to be the "leader of the free world." If we continue to allow these immoral people to intimidate us by their false and hypocritical morality, then we are just as guilty as they are by allowing this to continue.

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