Sorry to single your post out, marshall, but what you are saying here seems to be a trend, yet I believe it is a misconception.
Do you want to know why the "liberal media" has been showing these pics over the past 2 weeks? There are many agenda's on all sides, and the media is just feeding into these agendas, and satisfying their urge to chase sensationalism. We know that the anti-war crowd will try to use this as justification for their cause, but did you ever think that their might be a pro-war agenda here as well? It's not good for the pro-war side that these attrocities were whistleblown, but since they have been, there is now becomes a need for them to "spin" the issue. Since the cat is out of the bag, it actually becomes good for the pro-war people that these photos have been pasted on every news station for the past 2 weeks, because this DESENSITIZES the public. The photo's are unreal and shocking at first, but they lose their "omf" after you've seen them for the 10th, 20th, or 50th time. If they tried to cover it up, it would only lead to more outrage, so instead we are saturated with the issue so that any "outrage" would be desensitized and short lived, which is exactly what is occuring. Now, well after the photos were first presented, and now after desensitization has taken its effects, I have heard the arguement on Fox News, as well as on most other "liberal" news outlets that these photo's don't depict torture...and that they could be compared to a "frathouse" or "childhood" prank. This is the very arguement that many of you are bringing to the conversation today....that this wasn't torture, and that it was only the equivelent of a "prank."
Show the photo's over and over again, then when the public is desensitized and no longer emotional over them, make the arguement that this was no more wrong then a frathouse prank. Damn liberal media....and you guys are falling for it.
Now, the "anti-war" crowd will continue to use these photos as examples to support their cause, which will backfire on them horribly. Now we have pictures and video of even worse attrocities; the film of the contractor who had his head cut off was just released yesterday. I am waiting for the full footage to be on the internet; as unfortunate as it is, you know that is what is going to happened. As horrible as it is, there are other accounts of assasinations on americans that haven't been published by that "liberal media" until after the treatment of Iraqi prisoners was whistleblown. Hmmm...why's that? Let's just say that I can see the arguements already: "These damn liberals want to slam on our soldiers for "frathouse pranks," when look at what "the terrorists" are doing to our prisoners!"(thrown in with a couple of "hoorahs" and "support our troops" and "go Bush 2004!" for good measure
)
So...in the long run, who did it really benefit from the pasting of the photos of Iraqi prisoners all over the news over the last 2 weeks....hmm? It ain't the anti-war crowd, the "Kerry" crowd, the contractor who was just killed, OR our soldiers who benefited...that's for sure. Damn liberal media.
Look...nobody is saying that "terrorists" aren't commiting attrocities on U.S. people, and everyone would agree that having your head cut off is worse then being humiliated (well, everyone except a muslim man, who believes that it is better to die then to go through that sort of humiliation and torture. But, who the heck are they, right?
). All I am asking for you to do is think critically.
Those Iraqi prisoners were tortured. That "liberal media" that equates these photo's with "childhood pranks" forgot to focus on stuff like this that was in the reports:
"Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees; pouring cold water on naked detainees; beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair; threatening male detainees with rape; allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell; sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick, and using military working dogs to frighten and intimidate detainees with threats of attack, and in one instance actually biting a detainee."
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040510fa_fact
Hmmm....childhood prank, huh?
What about these rape seen photo's:
Links REMOVED DUE TO DEPICTIONS OF BRUTAL SEXUAL ACTS
Apparently rape is no big deal either, huh. Just fraternity stuff right? Well, maybe it is fraternity stuff....the kind that should end you up in jail.
But...hey, we haven't wrongfully killed any prisoners or anyone else, right?
http://members.iinet.net.au/~sauterp/iraq/iraqis_tortured_60min2-i.jpg
Opps...I forgot, about the investigation on at least 12 murdered Iraqi prisoners also.
Well, at least our government didn't "order" these military men to do these things right...
"Davis also stated that he had heard MI [military intelligence] insinuate to the guards to abuse the inmates. When asked what MI said he stated: ‘Loosen this guy up for us.’‘Make sure he has a bad night.’‘Make sure he gets the treatment.’” Military intelligence made these comments to Graner and Frederick, Davis said. “The MI staffs to my understanding have been giving Graner compliments . . . statements like, ‘Good job, they’re breaking down real fast. They answer every question. They’re giving out good information.’” "
"Gary Myers, Frederick’s civilian attorney, told me that he would argue at the court-martial that culpability in the case extended far beyond his client. “I’m going to drag every involved intelligence officer and civilian contractor I can find into court,” he said. “Do you really believe the Army relieved a general officer because of six soldiers? Not a chance.” "
Full account here:
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040510fa_fact
Errr....never mind. :xtrmshock
Face it folks, our land of the brave is just as guilty of attrocities and torture as anyone else, today in as much as in our past. We just happened to handle it a little more "first world-like" today instead of "third-world" like. To add insult to injury, the "pro-war" folks are going to spin this, with the use of the "liberal media," to fit their agenda.
The sooner we face the fact that we have a major problem with the way we handle our propiganda and foriegn policy, the sooner we can start solving these problems. To sweep it under the rug is disgraceful to our soldiers who are actually trying to fight a good fight, and it is disgraceful to our beliefs of freedom and liberty.
Don't let "them" manufacture your ideas...
PAUL
:asian:
