Abu Ghraib: The Hidden Story

[Lithos]

"Free societies in the Middle East will be hopeful societies, which no longer feed resentments and breed violence for export.... The terrorists are fighting freedom with all their cunning and cruelty because freedom is their greatest fear—and they should be afraid, because freedom is on the march."

—President George W. Bush,
Republican National Convention, New York, September 2, 2004

"It was discovered that freedom in this land is not ours. It is the freedom of the occupying soldiers in doing what they like...abusing women, children, men, and the old men and women whom they arrested randomly and without any guilt. No one can ask them what they are doing, because they are protected by their freedom.... No one can punish them, whether in our country or their country. They expressed the freedom of rape, the freedom of nudity and the freedom of humiliation."

—Sheik Mohammed Bashir,
Friday prayers, Um al-Oura, Baghdad, June 11, 2004<1>

-- more --

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17430

[enough]

1. Well worth reading, thanks

snip>

Imagine, for a moment, an Islamic fundamentalist trying to build a transnational movement by arguing that today "nations are attacking Muslims like people attacking a plate of food," and by exhorting young Muslims to rise up and follow the Prophet's words:

And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?—women and children —whose cry is: "Oh Lord, rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from thee one who will help!"

For such an Islamic fundamentalist, quoting these words to give legitimacy to his call for jihad against the United States—as Osama bin Laden did in his famous 1998 fatwa "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders"<2> —what better image of Arab ill-treatment and oppression could be devised than that of a naked Arab man lying at the feet of a short-haired American woman in camouflage garb, who stares immodestly at her Arab pet while holding him by the throat with a leash? Had bin Laden sought to create a powerful trademark image for his international product of global jihad, he could scarcely have done better hiring the cleverest advertising firm on Madison Avenue.

snip>

"I always knew the Americans would bring electricity back to Baghdad. I just never thought they'd be shooting it up my ass."

—Young Iraqi translator,Baghdad, November 2003

On first setting eyes on the Hooded Man in April, I thought instantly of this joke, which I'd heard in a Baghdad street six months before.

more>

[nosmokes]

2. wow. this is an important article. and i know that they'd

love for this to get buried in the election and hurricanes and baseball and football and back to school and no one wants to think about torture, fcol.

which is exactly why we can't let this die, why we hafta shove this under their noses, stick it in front of the cameras, get it in the papers, on the radio. torture isn't acceptable to americans, and once they realize it's acceptable in bush's america that's a huge seed of doubt.

[JSJ]

3. the shiek's quotes nails the troops to their crimes nt

[Disturbed]

4. At least 28 Secret Prisons.

The Red Cross has stated that they discovered them but are not allowed access to the prisoners. No one knows what treatment these prisoners are getting. The Prison Torture situaton is widespread and system policy. The USA has commited many War Crimes and most have been covered up. The "few bad apples" and no accountablity of higher ups is being perpetuated by the US Govt. and most of the Mass Media.

What most Americans think are pranks are viewed as vile to all Muslims. The sexual humiliation and abuse are passed off as not being all that serious by many Americans but are most serious to all Muslims.

The Pentagon has over 1K more photos and some videos which they refuse to release for public viewing. Had it not been for photos this issue would have been a minor blip on America's Media screen.

The USA is accountable to no one and no longer adheres to Intl. Law, The Geneva Convention or the USA Constitution.

Rumsfailed Admitted to Violating Geneva Convention

Rumsfailed admitted in public on TV that when CIA Director Tenet requested that an Iraqi prisoner be sent to a secret Afghan/US Prison that Rumsfailed did so. After four months a DOD Attorney stated that this was an illegal act. Rumsfailed then ordered that this prisoner be sent back to Abu Graihib but the prisoner was purposefully not listed at that location, also an illegal act.

Rumfailed has commted two violations of the Geneva Convention; thereby also violations of The Constitution of the USA. Recently it has been found out that even more detainees were "ghost detainees". The fact that Rumsfailed and Tenet have not been charged speaks volumes. If Congress wishes to garner any respect they should move forward with Rep. Rangle's Impeachment Declaration of Rumsfailed and also proscecute Ex. CIA Tenet.

Does the US, Govt., Congress, and the Justice Dept no longer abide by the Geneva Convention or the Constitution of the USA?

It is obvious that this is the case!.

[opihimoimoi]

5. In America our Brown Shirt security Guards exist because of the Fear level

and it is they who make our lives less meaningful by being there to "Protect us". They do this by invading our space and property. Someday Peace will reign and they will lose a job... but then, thats why they don't want Peace....their lives depend on hate.