Liberal Media, the indefatigable Autmom, and I have been talking on a previous thread about the unfolding Iraqi torture scandal.
My current thoughts are these -- 'I'm repulsed by these soldiers' actions, and I hope they're given good, long sentences for these acts. My being a veteran doesn't make me want to defend them, but rather I want to see them punished. They've brought shame to something I love very much -- the United States Army. Worse, they've betrayed the very thing their fellow soldiers are fighting and dying for -- the dignity, freedom and rights of the Iraqi people.'
Check out Sen. Lieberman's thoughts on the issue as well. I'm glad to see him returning to his usual level-headed moderation after his pandering role as axeman for Gore.
"The beheading of Nick Berg just because he was an American made painfully clear how little our enemies value life. Prison abuse must not blur the enormous moral differences between us and those we fight in Iraq, and in the world-wide war on terrorism."Posted by Discoshaman at mai 14, 2004 11:46 PM | TrackBack
As for Islamists lack of value for human life, this, sadly, is not news - they openly cry out for the death of Americans and Israelis based solely on their national affiliation. I know that God said there would always be enmity between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, but from a completely secular standpoint, I cannot understand why. If you look at the size of Israel as compared to the rest of the Middle East, it's such a small pocket of land that it makes no sense why all the Arabs cannot let them live in their land undisturbed. Or why Palestinians cannot find a home among their Arab brothers. All that is to say that the killing of Nick Berg was likely doubly delicious for his assailants - he was not only an American, but a practicing Jew. Very sad for his life to end the way it did.
As for the innocence of the whole American strategy over there, my doubts grow daily. Check this story out:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=3&u=/latimests/20040516/ts_latimes/iraqisilenceindictsusoccupiers
This is not the first time/place I've heard it said that ordinary Iraqis are not shocked to learn about what happened at Abu Ghraib. What does that tell you about the situation outside the prison walls?
Not quite so tireless tonight, so I'll leave you with that.