Letters to the Editor
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Bush & Saddam: Different Ideologies, Same Behaviors
America did not have to become terrorists in order to fight them. We have become our own worst enemy, and Bush is making enemies faster than he can kill them. Cheney is devestated at the shooting accident of one acquaintence, yet indifferent to the 30,000+ Iraqis killed, and makes platitudenal rationalizations regarding these tortures. Faith based hate is spitting in God's eye in America, and is a prime example of why American elections need to be fair and square without equivocation, chrony or court interference. This is why all presidential candidates should be required to make college transcripts, previous arrests, and previous drug involvement open to the public. s i g h...
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Nice job, Salon.
This is why I pay for a subscription. I'm sure you'll have a swarm of right wing letters shortly accusing you of all sorts of nasty treasonous things, but from where I sit this sort of reporting is very important to our country, to our democracy, and to the world. Those responsible for these atrocities (and the many others that have occurred in our name since 9/11) should be held accountable. And we as American citizens should do everything possible to discover exactly what our government is up to and stop further abuses.
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Thank you for these. I guess.
Like everyone else, I imagine, I'd like to turn my eyes away from these. Who wants to start the day looking at such images, or end it, or sully the middle of it? I'm worried about becoming numb to these sights, my imagination clocked out because it needs a break from the idea that real people have been treated thus. In the name of our country and its aspirations. I never wanted to be an angry person. So: angry or numb? That seems to be the choice.
Still, we need someone to force us to make that choice. So thank you. Yes. I guess.
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The Abu Ghraib files
This is just more of the same old crap.Get over it. People should be as worried about our soldiers lives as they are about these poor tortured prisoners. I have yet to see anything in these photos or films that I would classify as torture.Talk to some of the soldiers who were in Japanese P.o.W. camps during WWII and they will give you a good explanation of what torture is.
Warren T. Yates
Cedar Park Texas
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I'm a Soldier who Cried
Let me be clear. I love the USA and the Military life. I am a real conservative Republican, I dislike the liberal Left, and I am not an activist. Please do not confuse me with these anti-war type of people.
I saw a news story on TV talking about Salon.com's posting of the Abu Ghraib prison photos. I immediately went to the website to see for myself what the big story was all about. In all truth, I would like to admit that I unwillingly made myself watch these horrors. As a US Army Veteran I have seen many things that still give me nightmares, the VA Doctors call it Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD). I have seen the most terrible things that war can bring and there is one thing that seriously bothers me the most - the needless death and destruction of our world and other people.
War is Hell, I know. The worst part is not killing the enemy. If you participate in any war with violent intentions and pose a threat to others, yes you will run the risk of being killed. That's the nature of the beast. The "Hell" part is the death and destruction of the innocent. People who do not pose a threat, those who are not participating in violent intents. Most of the time these innocent people are caught up by accident, but there are a few situations where the innocent are victimized by evil and misguided people who use their superior advantages to hurt others.
What I see in the Abu Ghraib prison photos are prime examples of “Soldiers” taken evil advantages on the powerless. I know in the Army we are trained on what ethical treatment of prisoners should be. Ethics and morality is the very fibers that help guide the purpose of our military. Just as any Police Officer should guide themselves to “Serve & Protect”. That’s why I served in the military for 11 years.
It is beyond sad to witness such acts as the Abu Ghraib prison photos. I know every Military Serviceman and woman is shamed by the acts of these few. We all realize that the world was watching the same things and shaking their heads too. Myself, I almost cried to know that these things are true. I am totally ashamed of how these few “Soldiers” acted, and I am ashamed to know that not one Military Officer was prosecuted and punished for having his command so out of control. No one can ever tell me that not one Officer ever knew what was happening?!
I wish to express my heartfelt sorrow and apologies to all of those who were abused in this and any other act of abuse. If there were something I could do for you, I would. America owes you a big apology.
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The Abu Ghraib files
I am extremely bothered by Americans who cry "get over it".
Once upon a time the American people and military stood as icons who fought such abuses. The abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison tars and feathers the reputation of all Americans if we do not insist on a higher standard.
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This is terrible and this fact can not and must not be argued.
As a former soldier that experienced combat in different theaters I am sorry and ashamed that this has happened, but I am here to tell you that horrible things happen in war. That is the idea of the excercise. This is not meant to imply in anyway that this puts a stamp of approval on it, but what I am sincerely concerned about is why NO ONE feels the same degree of outrage over what is happening to people all around the world. Was it not as horrible when "they" bombed our Marine Barracks or our Embassies?? How about when they cut off the heads of innocent civilians? Why will no one with the power of this writer or this site do a comparitive article on how innocent men, women, and children all around the world are being murdered by these supposed religous "Men of Allah"? I am not talking about the fact that it happend and was reported, but tell the real story about the innocent lives that were taken in murderous acts, and tell it, and tell it, and tell it. If you scratch a sore place it remains sore. The ones that commited this act deserve to suffer the consequences of their actions, but the vast majority of those in uniform do not deserve the consequences that will come their way as a direct result of this inflamatory article. Believe me there is enough fault to go around without heaping it all on the backs of our servicemen and women who are willing to give their lives if necessary in order to protect our freedoms. Enough is enough, leave it alone and let it die the death it deserves.