Don't major cities usually have citizen review boards and other mechanisms to reduce episodes of police corruption? Do soldiers get a free pass on abhorent behavior because their job is difficult and unsavory? Or is it that they get a free pass because there are so many of them we just throw up our hands and say "soldiers will be soldiers"? Because there will always be the proverbial bad apples so we should never try to pluck them out as soon as they are identified? Or perhaps because if we ignore it, we can pretend it will go away?

I wonder what the Turkish activist would say about terrorists who set off road side bombs or explosives in market places in Iraq. Yes, people are dying every day, and it is sad.

I agree that the soldiers must be held accountable. I don't cringe that the story has been reported, it just makes me sick that it happened. The problem is that isolated incidences make our forces look like thugs and, yes, does damage our reputation.

But, for a Turkish activist to complain that people are dying every day because of the presence of America....that is reprehensible. People are dying every day because of terrorists who are in opposition not just to America's presence, but to any government in Iraq that is not in line with what they want. It is interesting that even with large Islamic components coming into the Iraqi Constitution that the terrorists don't stop. Wouldn't they be happy if it were truly going to establish an Islamic state? They are against freedom in ANY form.

Saddam killed more Iraqis and Muslims than the US ever will. If the Turkish activist were truly concerned about the death, then I would wonder why she doesn't condemn the terrorists, or offer gratitude that Saddam is gone. I have no problem with people complaining about progress being made or not enough Iraqis taking part in the security forces or whatever, but to blame America for the death? Seems disingenuous to me.

I agree, I'll even help put the blindfold on.

We are talking about Pat Robertson, right? ;)

:D

Yes I suppose they do but I am not really talking about the "official" or "police" response to this incident. Bad apples should be punished. However, shouldn't the justice be carried out in such a way so as not to endanger the lives of all the good apples?

If one tree has a couple of bad apples you don't chop down the entire orchard.

oy....first flightless birds now apple trees:)

Last night, my husband snorted and said "they're already in danger." He doesn't think soldiers are more or less in danger as a result of this reporting. I know he doesn't speak for all soldiers or veterans, but he has a bit more clout than me on that aspect. (And did I mention that my husband's a rabid conservative?)

Second: If justice is being carried out, then by all means let's get out of it's way. I'm not a fan of cameras in the courtroom, re-enactments on CourtTV, chasing officials into their homes when they're just trying to take the kids to school, etc. However, in this case the website persists, new content gets added, and the official government word so far is apparently a giant "oh well." And isn't that why a free press is supposed to be so fantastic? To ensure that information gets to the people so that the people can then make appropriate voting choices if government is not carrying out the people's will? Don't we raise a hue and cry when other governments limit press reporting on unflattering conduct?

If the government's soundbite on this issue was "We agree that this sort of conduct is inappropriate and will take steps to identify those responsible and take appropriate disciplinary action. Thank you for bringing this to our attention." then I might be persuaded to give them a moment to carry our their justice or whathaveyou. But that doesn't seem to be the case so far.

From a blogger friend...
 

More Photos of Abu Ghraib to be Released
Bush Remarks at a Gala
This just came out today about the content of the photos. The US may not have killed as many people in the US as Saddam, but these soldiers are possibly guilty of raping prisoners. And then taking pictures. Others are taking pictures of dead bodies and smiling.

I'm sorry. Why am I having to qualify any of this? What kind of proof does a Bushie need?!

OMG, they could publish pictures of Bush with a knife in hand, slitting the throat of an 8-month fetus that he's <o<k-deep in the ass of, and Bushies would not acknowledge the existence of proof that this man has done anything wrong.

I'm not accusing anyone here of being such a Bushie. To the contrary, the conservatives who post here are not absolutists and can carry on a civil debate without head-in-the-sand.



for the most part.

Of course not, the photo would obviously have been photoshopped.

Pentagon Still Not Reimbursing Troops Who Buy Their Own Body Armor
Kind of like the way the gov't couldn't figure out which soldiers were in those pictures.
This administration is so very out of touch.
:(