MADER'S RANTS Iraqi Prisoners May 14, 2004 - Well, we have been abusing Iraqi prisoners. I don’t know what I find more disturbing. The abuse, or the reactions people have to it. I sat in my favorite bar Wednesday night arguing with people that thought it was a good idea! “Well it’s nothing worse than what they do,” said one woman in her country twang. In war, people do horrible things, yes. Just because someone robs banks or rapes people or commits murder doesn’t mean we all should. Using the logic “He does it, why can’t I?” is a slippery slope into chaos. It’s why we have laws. “Well the soldiers weren’t trained to do their jobs,” piped up a portly gentleman. I don’t care what kinda training you may need to be a prison guard. I’m sure it’s actually very complicated. But when do you need to have a class that says “Don’t shove the plunger up the prisoner’s ass”? And what would this class be called? Why We Don’t Violate a Persons Rectum Unless They Ask For It 101? This isn’t a matter of training or education, just basic decency - or at least manners. Christ! It’s common sense! “Maybe it was just those seven soldiers working on their own,” chimes the bartender as she pours me vodka. Human dynamics are the same no matter the environment. There is always gossip. Prison is like high school - a really rough one, like East L.A., but high school nonetheless. Everyone knew. Lots of folks may not have been involved, but a big chunk at least knew personally or heard rumors and turned a blind eye. Hell, there was video and over 1,500 still photographs. “Well, ya gotta interrogate them somehow. How else can ya get the information?” says the busboy heading for the kitchen. Torture has never been the best way to get information from anyone. Either they clam up out of spite or they die as you torture them, so you get nothing. Or they will say anything you want to hear to get you to stop abusing them. You’ll get everything from Bin Laden’s home address to the recipe for really good falafel like mom used to make. Unfortunately the address is in Orlando, and the falafel tastes like crap. It’s questionable information at best. “They must have been following orders,” offers the older woman drinking a margarita. Aaaahhh yes, they probably were. But soldiers are supposed to be trained to know the difference between a valid order and an unethical one. Simply saying “I was told to do it” isn’t an excuse. It didn’t work in Nuremburg; it doesn’t work here. I have known soldiers from Viet Nam that were given vague, questionable, implied orders. They refused to do them. Did it help their career? Probably not. But they didn’t get a court martial, either. So in the end, you don’t make it to General. Would the star on your shoulder be worth doing something any rational person knows is blatantly wrong? Sadly, the official word coming out of DC on this isn’t much better. The commander of the prison, Lt. Col. Jerry L. Phillabaum 320th Military Police Battalion, at the time of the events in question had this to say: “There was little I could have done to prevent isolated cases of abuse by soldiers who violated any standard of morality. Training alone would not have prevented these acts of abuse." Hey, Jerry! You are the commanding officer! It’s in the title, you jackass. If you can’t control the men and woman under your “command” how the hell did you get a commission? So what to do? Bush can’t fight a war based on the premise of overthrowing evil if he tolerates evil in his own ranks. Not only is it unethical and hypocritical, it’s just bad for the public and political image. He needs to do the following: 1. Recall any remaining elements of 320th Military Police Battalion and replace them. 2. Anyone stationed at the prison during the time in question but not directly involved gets dishonorably discharged. They were there. They knew. 3. The soldiers found to be directly involved get a court martial and prison time, 15 years minimum. 4. Commanding officers Phillabaum, Karpinski, and Miller get jail time, 15 years minimum. You lead, you’re responsible. Anything less is a slap on the wrist and lacks sincerity. 5. Rumsfeld needs to resign. Why do all this? If you base your actions on the claim you are doing the right thing, you can’t tolerate anything that detracts from that. You must be beyond reproach. The other lesson here is don’t do bad things. Or if you do, don’t be stupid enough to take pictures of it. I hate stupid people. Later, Mader