Putting Abu Ghraib in Perspective

[Martin Eden]

This is my 1,000th post, so I wanted to put some effort into it. This is not a typical DU rant; I'm hoping it might find its way to some independent-minded voters who are at the tipping point of dumping Bush.

Putting Abu Ghraib in Perspective

The injury and humiliation inflicted upon Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib is a small fraction of the overall human toll of this war. An estimated 10,000 Iraqi civilians and over 750 U.S. troops have been killed, with several times that many scarred physically and mentally. Though abhorrent and inexcusable, the torture at Abu Ghraib is a minor episode in this saga of human suffering.

But it is a major episode in the war on terror and in America’s relations with Islam. The Bush administration was already losing the battle for hearts and minds, but the images of naked Muslim men being abused by grinning American men and women in uniform have done more to promote militant Islam than any audio tape issued by Osama bin Laden. If terrorism was thwarted by “actionable intelligence” obtained in Abu Ghraib, it will multiply a hundred times as a result of those incredibly counterproductive interrogations.

The Secretary of Defense and the President would have us believe this debacle resulted from the aberrant behavior of a few bad apples who took it upon themselves to record their activities on 1600 photographs and videotapes. Even if the incidents of abuse do not exceed the number captured on film, it is difficult to believe the military hierarchy was unaware of the situation. It is at best a colossal failure of leadership and command. Donald Rumsfeld has publicly accepted responsibility, but he failed to be responsible when it really mattered and he is not being held accountable by a commander in chief who gives him a ringing endorsement.

It is difficult to apply justice here. It is easy to condemn those who commit barbaric acts, but the individuals facing court martial are ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. They say they were following orders to “soften up” the prisoners for cooperation in the war against terror. Their superiors were under pressure to get results, and the White House and Pentagon have enormous responsibilities on many fronts. If the crime is viewed as the misinterpretation of orders and a breakdown in command, then it becomes easier to rationalize.

However, the crime of Abu Ghraib must be viewed in a much wider perspective. Most of the victims lie in the future, and the sacrifices made by our troops and their families are likely now in vain. If justice is to be served commensurate with the crime, it is beyond the capacity of Donald Rumsfeld and George W. Bush to pay the price. And make no mistake; it is they and their cohorts who bear the most guilt. This war and its costs are a product of the Bush administration. They chose to invade a country that neither attacked us nor posed an imminent threat. They made a conscious decision not to apply the Geneva Conventions in the treatment of prisoners, which set the stage for inevitable abuse. They disregarded repeated warnings by the International Red Cross, and in their arrogance failed to consider the potential consequences.

Ultimately we all share responsibility in what has occurred, but especially in what we do next. It is the nature of democracy for the people to be responsible for their government, and it is our obligation to question our leadership and to change it when necessary. The Bush administration insists our purpose in Iraq is to fight terrorism and promote democracy, but their consistent lack of planning and foresight have sabotaged these efforts. At a recent press conference the president could not think of a single mistake he has made. Nor has he seen fit to fire the CIA director who told him weapons of mass destruction were a “slam dunk,” or the Secretary of Defense who made a mess of Iraq, or the senior White House officials who committed the federal crime of exposing an intelligence operative whose husband had the audacity to tell the truth.

Critics of this administration are often accused of being unpatriotic or of exploiting the nation’s troubles for partisan purposes. From this perspective, once a president takes our nation to war he is no longer subject to criticism. But from a higher perspective it is the duty of every citizen to utilize critical thought and to hold our leaders accountable, because they act in our name. From a world perspective the crimes committed at Abu Ghraib have implications far beyond the suffering of the prisoners, and to give this administration another four years would send the message that we are not accountable for our government or for ourselves. If it is our intention to promote democracy, we must first exercise it responsibly at home.