In my comments to a previous post I stated:
I also have a problem with a policy that encourages soldiers to not follow the rules of war. A policy that encourages them to torture prisoners and that looks the other way when they murder civilians
Mr Glacked is referring to that when he asks:
Glacked () @ 02/01/2005 09:52:
Rob, just what 'policy' are you talking about? One of my closest friends is at Abu Grab right now working on prosecuting the soldiers who did this. He hasn't mentioned anything about a policy... or are you just making that up? Don't let the illegal actions of the few overshadow the honorable actions of the many. Then again, I guess soldiers doing the right thing doesn't help your cause...
Policy is defined as "a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc." or "a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc." If it is US policy to look the other way when soldiers commit acts of torture it does not need to be prionted in a handbook or printed on a poster next to the "Employees must wash hands after using restroom" sign.
All well-trained soldiers are taught to follow the orders of superiors. If their orders are simply to "soften up" the prisoners for interrogation and they do that by going beyond what is internationally accepted as legal treatment of prisoners yet they get an attaboy, well, I would argue that that is policy. And those "attaboys" work their way up the chain of command with nobody stepping in and questioning the torture.
Of course your friend is prosecuting soldiers at the lowest level and the government's official stand is that they are "a few bad apples." When this is all over we will see Rumsfeld and the military commanders facing charges of war crimes. I have no doubt about that.
Then there is the case of two American soldiers who were convicted of murdering an Iraqi woman who was working for the Americans. They shot her in the head. One soldier was sentenced to 3 years in prison and the other 18 months. Is that justice? A child will grow up without a mother and these guys will be safe behind bars for a few years and then go home to their families.
Glacked () @ 02/01/2005 09:58:
Rob, just who do you think you are? I've never done one thing in your name - has anyone? We serve(d) our country - if you'd be kind enough to give me YOUR percent of the county's population, I'd be happy to give you your due. Should take less than one second of my day...
Everything that you do as a member of the United States military is done in my name--and Gia's name and your mother's name and the name of every other American citizen. It is the American people who pay you and decide to send you to war through their representatives in Congress. Although in this war Congress told the president that he could do it if the evidence (of WMD) was there--only later did they find out that the president lied to them. Every time that you put on the uniform of the US military you represent the the people of the United States (including me). When uniformed American soldiers killed an innocent civilian they did that in the name of the American people and in my name. When the US military supposedly "liberates" a country they do that in my name.
You military types are always telling us how you are out there defending our freedom. You tell us that we are only free because of you. You took an oath to "support and defend the Constitution"; it is the Constituion which protects us. As the Declaration of Independence states: all men are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". That means that we are born with such rights. They are not granted to us by the government or by the almighty US military.
As much as I disagree with the current war of agression in Iraq, I recognize that a military is necessary. I respect any person who willingly puts on a uniform and goes in harm's way to defend his country. That does not mean that I agree with how the governmant uses the military on every occasion.
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