More on Abu Gharib
Unless you’ve totally been ignoring the news in recent days, you’ve likely been hearing about the Abu Gahrib abuse cases.
I still believe that the actions we’re hearing about represent a tiny-tiny-tiny-tiny-tiny fraction (a handful of bad apples) of the US troops. The overwhelming majority (almost all but the bad apples) of troops are still good-natured, and know right from wrong and would never do something like this.
So why is the media making such a big deal out of this story? Here’s what ABC’s “The Note” had to say.
Then also worth reading is this post by Glenn Reynolds (it’s got plenty of links too).
Finally, and probably the most interesting of all, is the following (lengthy) post by Greyhawk over at Mudville Gazette–about the whole timeline of this event (a definite must see–and check out the other posts at the blog as well)
It helps fill in more of the details about this whole episode.
The media is making a big deal because it IS a big deal. The US torturing foreign prisoners, whether it’s systemic or not, is a major outrage that could have a pronounced effect on the war effort.
Joe Scarborough, on his show last night, ran images of the dead Kurds who Saddam killed, as if to say, “see! What the Americans did wasn’t so bad!” Which is a total non-sequiter; Saddam himself could just as easily have said, “see, what I’m doing isn’t as bad as Hitler/Mao/Bin Laden.”
Comment by Stephen Silver — 5/6/2004 @ 4:18 pm
No, I agree, it is a big deal. Part of it is just my lack of patience/attention span–I’d like to hear about other things taking place as well. That’s all my frustrations boil down to.
Scarborough is right and wrong. He’s right that we were a lot nicer—even though it’s still the totally wrong thing to do. At the same time, like you said, it’s a total non-sequiter.
Comment by Jaws — 5/6/2004 @ 4:49 pm