Report: Detainee Abuse Is “Standard Operating Procedure,” Say Soldiers

I am dismayed by this report but not surprised. We have soldiers on the ground under constant stress with superivision problems. Some abuse would be inevitable. Unfortunately the message from the top is to keep everything secret, to deny anything that does come out, to justify what is admitted as being part of the war on terror, and imply that abuse is okay under certain circumstances.
If this is how we are fighting the war of ideas then heaven help us! We might as well turn ourselves back over to England because the ideals of the revolution have failed. That or we could elect a new government to clean this mess up.

I have one thing to say about this…these prisoners… are being held for a couple different reasons, they either killed americans plotted against coalition had illegal weapons or killed iraqi civilians… now in my opinion I would have to say that comitting any of these crimes or all of them, means you shouldhave no rights.. the fact that they are still alive is the crime against humanity…

PTSD…….and we wonder why? War is hell, yes it is, but this is sadistic and disgusting. We must all ask ourselves, if ordered to do so, would we torture another human being?

These type of techniques have the trademark of the C.I.A.,not the military with the exception of special forces.Although these soldiers were obeying orders,they have the legal right to refuse an order if it is deemed immoral or a violation of military code.The superiors are just as guilty if these allegations prove to be true.If these allegations are true then the ORDERS came from a higher source than those on the ground.

I’d just like to ask of Judy, if war is hell, is it right then if captured americans are tortured and sometimes killed too?
The geneva conventions are there to protect human rights. Every person deserves to be treated with some form of respect, criminal or not. By resorting to these ‘harsh interrogation’ we’re becoming no better than the terrorists we’re seeking to eliminate.

American soldiers were ambushed and taken hostage recently just south of Baghdad. These brave young men who volunteered to defend our country were murdered, tortured and butchered in the most horrendous way imaginable. Their eyes were gouged out, arms and legs broken, their private parts cut off and shoved in their mouths and finally their hearts were cut out.
Where are the attorneys who claim concern about the human rights of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay (suspected Al-Queda associates), now that brave American soldiers have been tortured and murdered, where is their outrage? Why do they remain silent? Are they more concerned about the rights of the enemy than they are about those defending us. Its a disgrace.

As far as dragging bodies through the streets goes, we need to keep our atrocities secret so people don’t get outraged by it.

Yeah, right! We expect our military personnel to represent the USA with our high ideals of freedom, democracy and due process. Yeah, right! Then we send them over seas to meet persons of differing cultures, religions and nationalities. Yeah, right! Then we act surprised when they torture and abuse those foreign nationals. Yeah, right! Democracy at gunpoint. Yeah, right!

Bush has singlehandedly destroyed the substantial respect and goodwill that America has earned over many years. He blathers on about his attempt to bring democracy to other parts of the world, but has no apparent clue what democracy consists of. He has made us a laughing stock of the world – a sad excuse of a man who would rather be giving uninvited back rubs to world leaders than leading a country. Sadly, there are many ordinary Americans who resemble him, including various persons responding to this blog who condone and support such fascist, anti-democratic methods. I would be willing to bet that every one of you would be (understandably) shouting bloody murder about your rights being violated if the federal government kidnapped, tortured and/or imprisoned you or your children without charges, any hearing or a right to any method to prove your innocence. The USA has no right to condone or commit such barbaric police-state techniques have. But when Bush and friends (who claim to be good Christians) use such methods against others, you are willing to shout praises in support. As for true Christianity, can you find any passage in the bible where Jesus condones such treatment of people? Can you name any great person in the history of the world who would morally condone such immoral governmental action? None I can think of, unless you consider Hitler, Mussolini, the Shah of Iran or Idi Amin to be great. And on a practical level, what do you think will happen to our soldiers and other citizens when they are captured by the friends and family members of the persons that we have kidnapped, tortured and imprisoned without proven cause or due process? Answer: They will practice what YOU preach: kidnap, torture and false imprisonment. Thus, even if you cannot accept the moral wrongness of what we are doing, consider the consequences of such actions. It’s stupid, stupid and very stupid.

Not a single named source. This story is based on a complete fabrication by the America-haters at Human Rights Watch. One thing for sure: there are no beheadings or mutilations being conducted at US facilities.

Torture is the perfection of human evil. Surely, torture will make us a “more perfect union” in the eyes of the perfectionists.

Joy, I couldn’t find “ammoral.” Did you mean amoral or immoral? I’d like to learm more about the normal, family-oriented, spit-on-pig-media American family. Regardless of what you think of the media, I’d suggest you look with a critical eye at what they report and determine if it represents what you think America stands for.

This story is a crap. No sources, nothing to suport the story. It was obviously a fabrication, and abc should be ashamed that they gave it space on their page. A completely baseless claim by a group that hates the US, and hates our president. It is a shame that Democrates and liberals want George Bush to fail, even if it kills all of us. This type of story makes it harder on our troups, and fosters hatred of all Americans (even Democrates and liberals).

I guess there is an advantage of growing older. I can actually remember a time when the US was the good guys.

Let’s not forget that we are not fighting an army of sovereign nation…we are fighting people who’ll kill your children and then film the body with them in joyous celebration. These aren’t choir boys that are being detained and questioned.
I do not think that hamstringing those whose job it is to extract vital information for use in defending our young people and our interests is an intelligent move. We are not using kid gloves…nor should we be expected to.

Forget the Geneva Convention look past what the bad guys are doing to our soldiers. Look more closely look at what 9-11, the war on terror, etc. have done to us. Are we so weak and fearful that we will sell out on our basic beliefs in human rights and basic liberties so that we can cower safely in our homes. The same basic rights that our soldiers have been giving their lives to defend and protect for over two hundred years.
I spent almost fifteen years on active military duty. I have no love of war, but as the saying goes, if one wants peace then prepare for war. If I felt that our country was under threat I would be the first one to sign up to protect. But, from where I sit the greatest threat to our country is the attacks on our basic moral fibre by those who claim to be so moral. I fear the greatest threat to our country is internal. A population that cares so little that we can’t even get a majority of the population out for elections. That is more worried about what our neighbors are doing in their homes than we are the poverty in our streets, That allows itself to be lead by fear rather than courage. Is soon destined to collapse in upon itself.

now scott above says “we should abuse them night and day” boy you can tell he holds american values high, as long as they dont apply to “americans”? right scott? well unfortunally it does now apply to americans !! good job though !

Yes, this does happen. No it shouldn’t. But as a soldier you do what you’re told; regardless of your personal opinion. That is how discipline is maintain. Oppose this rule and one is harshly reprimanded. Regrettably many prisoners who suffered may actually be innocent…many are not. But I implore you that whether right or wrong, it is not the common soldier that authorizes harsh interrogations, these orders and methods are explicitly directed by the commanding officers and thier commanding officers. So forgive me and other “fighting force” level soldiers…we were only doing our jobs and what we were told.