On Sympathy, Support and Human Decency

[Solly Mack]

This is Manadel al-Jamadi.




You may remember him better from this photo...



Or this one...



Maybe this one...



He was called the "Iceman" because his dead body was packed in ice & then stored in a shower. Manadel al-Jamadi was later carried out on a gurney with an IV in his arm - to give the impression he was only ill...and not dead. I guess the ice served to keep the body from decomposing too much before its Broadway exit out of Abu Ghraib.

He was detained because he was labeled a "terrorist" by the U.S. government. One story said he attacked the Red Cross. Another story says he worked for Saddam Hussein (as an officer) and was a leader of a terrorist cell.



During his detention, while being "interrogated", he was beaten to death by the CIA and a Navy SEAL team. I hope we can all agree that torture and murder are a bad thing to do.



I don't know if Manadel al-Jamadi was a "terrorist" or not. If he was, I wouldn't have any sympathy for his choice of actions to further his cause.

However, even if he was guilty, I would and (still) do feel a great deal of horror and outrage that someone was tortured to death simply because he was considered a 'bad' person. Just because someone labeled him a "terrorist". Even if he had not died from his torture and abuse I would still be outraged that he was tortured and abused.


See the difference? No sympathy for his alleged "actions" - a but a great deal of horror and outrage over his torture and murder. There is a difference. A clear one. An important one.



Members of the Bush administration said that critics of the government's actions in the WOT "only serve to help terrorists."

Being outraged over torture and murder only served to help terrorists was their claim. They pretended they didn't know the difference because it suited their purposes.

I feel safe in saying that the majority of the former Bush administration are very bad people.

But that doesn't mean I want them tortured and/or murdered. Now, that doesn't mean I have sympathy for Bush, Cheney, etc. or that I supported their actions.....but it does mean that I support basic human decency.

[Jamastiene]

1. K&R

Well said.

[Solly Mack]

3. Thanks.

[I Have A Dream]

2. I completely agree. nt

[Solly Mack]

4. Thank you

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. K&R

The wars have unleashed the dogs that are eating our moral fabric abroad and at home

[leftstreet]

6. K&R

:cry:

[I Have A Dream]

7. Kicking (already recommended.) nt

[bobthedrummer]

8. K&R

The rule of law applies in a democracy, that is what a democracy looks like-which we aren't.

[EFerrari]

9. K&R

[bobthedrummer]

10. Glen Greenwald: The CIA's impunity on "torture tapes"

That the CIA could destroy its videotapes of 9/11 conspirators interrogations without penalty is a shocking abuse of democracy (10-7-11 Guardian)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/oct/07/cia-impunity-torture-tapes