Abu Ghraib Report

[Rebar]

Revdisk, I think your well thought out post will go over people's heads here.

That is not the case. Quite the opposite, what we've been saying has gone over your heads.

No one is saying that the soldiers involved shouldn't have been punished. They deserve it, and are getting it. What we are saying is that it's been overblown in the press, a classic "mountain over a molehill", and there was, and is, no need for this to have been front-page news for years now. All this coverage does is sap the will of our Iraqi allies, and gives comfort and encouragement to our enemies.

 

[White Horseradish]

All this coverage does is sap the will of our Iraqi allies, and gives comfort and encouragement to our enemies.

Iraquis read our papers?

 

[Firethorn]

WH, actually, yes in many cases. Don't forget that the terrorist groups will also distribute stories that are to their benefit. Our trumpeting it only makes it easier for them.

I will also note that investegations were proceeding in military channels, and charges prepared before the story ever broke.

 

[Rebar]

Iraquis read our papers?

Maybe.

But they do get satellite TV, and watch CNN, and other news channels.

 

[Nehemiah Scudder]

Even if there were a media blackout.

(Which as far as TV is concerned there is.)

It'd still get out. Because we're forced to either kill our prisoners (I don't recommend that), or let them go eventually.

 

[Rebar]

or let them go eventually.

I think that the average Iraqi would just shrug their shoulders and say, Saddam was worse. It's the constant harping of the media, blowing it all out of proportion, that's causing the trouble. And drawing in foreign fighters.

 

[Nehemiah Scudder]

The foriegn fighters would be coming anyways, IMO. There's been a lot of anti-American sentiment in that region for whatever the reasons, and we gave them a short trip and a big excuse to get packing.

In my mind, you can't play to the fanatics, because there's no winning them over. You have to watch out that you don't start making people who wouldn't get involved, to start getting involved and supporting the insurgents.

The culture is different than ours, but not THAT different.

 

[dloken]

We are either an Army of occupation, or an Army of liberation.

This is what i've been trying to say.



Our actions at Abu Gharib pushed a lot of what we in the gun community like to call fence sitters into the wrong side.

 

[dasmi]

I really don't see how you can imply this from my statements. You're just too stupid to put forth a competent argument so you resort to calling me a bigot.

And you resort to calling him stupid. Pot calling the kettle black my friend.