“Sen. John Warner (R-VA) chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee has
said making the videos [of Iraqi prisoners in U.S. custody being insulted
and humiliated] public might endanger more men and women serving in the
armed forces in Iraq.”
But, hey, what does that matter, if we can keep conservatives off the
federal bench?
“Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services
Committee, said the videos should be made public and that they proved to him
that there was an organized policy of abusing prisoners to get
information — approved by the White House.”
Define “abusing.” Some of these prisoners are ruthless terrorists with the
blood of Americans — and, of course, many Iraqis — on their hands. Most
of them have done something or other to end up in custody. If U.S.
interrogators yell at them, is that “abuse”? If they threaten or intimidate
them, is that “abuse”? If they prevent them going to the bathroom for a
couple of hours, is that “abuse”? If they smack them upside the head, is
that “abuse”?
Nobody seems much interested in drawing lines here. There’s a lot of loose
talk about “torture” and even, from the more hysterical kind of
commentators, “murder” of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops.
I have seen evidence of some disgraceful and un-soldierly behavior by U.S.
troops, for which the persons suspected have been arrested and will be tried
and punished. I have not seen any evidence of “torture” (ripping out
fingernails, applying blowtorches to flesh) or “murder” (killing). Where is
that evidence? Where is it?
The level of cant here is sickening.