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Wednesday, Nov 4, 2009
Unless his lt. and cpt. were morons, they had to know what was going on if they were doing there jobs at all. Clearly if Graner was the ringleader then his immediate superiors were so negligent as to be criminal in their dereliction of duties. It seems clear to me that the real ringleader were in fact the CIA operatives who came in and set all this up. But still, as a former officer, my greatest contempt is for the lt. and cpt. who were the supervisors. They were the ones who could have bucked the system more effectively. Total weasels, copping out on their oath.
The true people responsible for Abu Ghraib are still running around loose. We need to start from the top Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, and George W. Bush. They need to be tried for war crimes and they belong in Leavenworth - preferably in solitary confinement.
Of course the interrogation "experts" at Abu Ghraib, Rumsfeld, and the other thugs at the Pentagon should be held responsible. And it's clear he's been scapegoated. But that does not mitigate or excuse the actions taken by Spc. Graner and his fellow "soldiers" at Abu Ghraib.
It was his DUTY to refuse unlawful orders. Let me say that again so I am clear: it was his DUTY to refuse an unlawful order, regardless of the consequences. That is what soldiers do, they make hard decisions. Spc. Graner is a coward. That's the best thing I can say. Either he and his comrades enjoyed what they were doing (I do not believe that) or they took the easy coward's way out.
Being a soldier is more than just wearing the uniform. It is a responsibility. Real soldiers hold themselves to a higher standard.
Look, Rumsfeld belongs in prison. Of that I agree. But given the extent of Graner's crimes, perhaps he should worry more about his own complicity and failure to do the right thing. Take some responsibility. Following an unlawful order is against the law. Graner is in prison because of this. I have sympathy for his family. That's about all I can say.
Consider the Army Core Values. Take note of the last two. Graner and his comrades, apparently, did not.
Loyalty
Bear true faith and allegiance to the U.S. constitution, the Army, and other soldiers. Be loyal to the nation and its heritage.
Duty
Fulfill your obligations. Accept responsibility for your own actions and those entrusted to your care.
Respect
Rely upon the golden rule. How we consider others reflects upon each of us, both personally and as a professional organization.
Selfless Service
Put the welfare of the nation, the Army, and your subordinates before your own.
Honor
Live up to all the Army values
Integrity
Do what is right, legally and morally. Be willing to do what is right even when no one is looking. It is our "moral compass" an inner voice.
Personal Courage
Our ability to face fear, danger, or adversity, both physical and moral courage.
I am totally with you in what you say. I have no sympathy for Graner beyond the fact that he is imprisoned alone, when his immediate superiors should be with him. When I was a platoon leader, I can remember getting jacked up when one of my people didn't have the correct items in the duffel bag for deployment: I cannot imagine having one of my sergeants torturing people and me getting off scot free. What bullshit not that he is being punished but that he is being punished alone. Those of his superiors who violated their oath as well disgust me far more than him.
Born of an arab hide
If the sentence fits the crime
Then the offender should do the time...
You are 100% correct. There should be a long line of NCOs and officers from Abu Ghraib in prison along with Graner (not to mention higher ups at the pentagon).
Perhaps the problem is mine; it's hard for me to rationally consider this issue. Even thinking about it now, I can detect the white hot anger and disgust growing inside. The gross dereliction of duty and shameful cowardice displayed by Graner is just completely beyond the pale. I just worry that this guy will be made into some kind of martyr.
Oh, and don't get me started on soldiers forgetting gear from their rucks or not having their canteens filled! LOL
I started to read this article but stopped before finishing page one.
Why should anyone sympathize with Graner? Because everyone else got away with it? Instead of sypathizing, why not round up everyone else? Why not seek new charges against those who got away so easily? Does he really find himself in the position as those he tortured? He is being stripped naked and humiliated? I doubt it.
What he really needs is to come to grips with the role his actions have played in the recruitment of those who have since killed his fellow servicemen. He needs to consider on what little basis the men he tortured were detained. He needs to appreciate that, while very few American servicemen in Iraq acted so disgracefully towards the Iraqi people, he and his cohorts did. They chose to. Then maybe he wouldn't think ten years was too much.
I'd love to see the higher-ups get what they deserve. Never mind Abu Ghraib, I'm talking about the Iraq war. But that doesn't translate into me feeling sorry for this SOB just because once upon a time he sat on Santa's lap. I'm sure Dick Cheney looked cute as a button sitting on Santa's lap when he was a tyke too. And I'm sure somebody could dig up a nice snapshot of an apple-cheeked W cuddling a puppy or hunting for Easter eggs.
So what's Salon thinking with such a lame attempt at manipulating sympathies? The photographs make the whole story into a parody of itself. Was this deliberate?
That because torture is wrong our guys who do it should be tortured. Good to know your sense of justice is just this side of the Bronze Age. Awesome.
An Israeli columnist issues a scathing indictment of Israel and calls on the U.S. to apply pressure.
Even when government officials purposely subject an innocent person to brutal torture, they enjoy full immunity.
Hey, guys: Are adult films making you bad at sex?
What was once depicted as a grave act of lawlessness -- Bush's NSA program -- is now deemed a vital state secret.
The loony wing of the Republican Party prepares for a big day in Tuesday's elections
Salon headlines in your mailbox
