I blame the Iraqi prison tortures on Bush and his incompetent war.

[Robin Hood]

I do not blame the soldiers. I feel sorry for our soldiers. They are not only being killed and maimed over in Iraq but they are also losing their minds. They are over deployed and tired.

And they are doing all this for Bush's re-election campaign. I do not blame the soldiers, I blame Bush for everything that goes wrong in his term, after all, where does the buck stop?

These soldiers would not be doing things like this had Bush actually involved the UN in it's taking on of Iraq. They would not be doing things like this if Bush had let the UN do it's job, which it was doing just fine? Hence the no WMD factor.

Every death, every f*&^ck up, everything that this illegitimate American dictator has done is his and only his fault. Court marshall king george for being AWOL.

[Walt Starr]

1. I blame the soldiers as well

In the military you are under an obligation to refuse to follow illegal orders.

[Robin Hood]

3. This is an illegal war.

If what you say is true, then the whole military is in deep doo.

[Walt Starr]

8. Why do you think Bush pulled us out of the ICC?

He knew damn well and good he was about to violate international law and every last member of the United States Armed Forces would be willing participant in the illegal activities.

Bush is a war criminal and he has made every last American soldier a war criminal, too.

[theo4487]

2. Bush made a mistake...

but he didn't tell those people to torture those prisoners. There are plenty of other soldeirs who did not abuse their prisoners. These people were just genuinely bad people.

[Robin Hood]

5. It is because of Bush's mistakes in this war.

That has lead to soldiers behaving this way.

[Toucano]

6. 5...4...3...2...1 n/t

[Walt Starr]

10. From the reports we're getting, this case is NOT the exception

Torture was the rule rather than the exception.

This is what happens when you allow mercenaries command over regular troops.

[AlinPA]

4. What about "It all starts at the top?". This is actually good for Bush*,

because it keeps the discussion on Iraq and the war. Remember, as long as Bush* is seen as the war president, Rove is happy and they win.

[ComerPerro]

7. I blame Bush and the whole damn military system

Brainwashing, dehumanizing enemies, add to this the fact that Bush sent the troops in with no plan whatsoever, and now he has completely abandoned them. They are dying every day and no one here in the US seems to give a shit. They are probably scared and possibly, as you said, beginning to lose their minds. At the very least, they are beginning to lose their better judgement.

[skooooo]

9. I agree with you...

...and I'm tired of everyone acting so "shocked" about the soldiers. They are NO DIFFERENT than any of us. You have no idea what you would do under the same circumstances. They need to be rehabilitated and those at the top need to be held accountable for war crimes.

[atreides1]

11. That's Really Naive of You

So as far as your concerned if the troops kill wantonly, it's not their fault?

When do the troops get held accountable for their actions, when do they become responsible for what they do?

I don't like Bush and his neocon company, and would be the last person on this planet to offer them any defense. But this "let's blame Bush", is about as good as "it's Clinton's penis's fault."

Everyone has a dark side to them, with some of us it lies deep beneath the surface and it's controlled, with others it does not take much for that part of their personality to be brought forward.

It would appear that with the people involved in this incident, that
dark and evil part of them was manipulated, and brought to the surface. If they followed an illegal order then it is their fault and they are to blame. And this prisoner abuse isn't the first time that
the Geneva Conventions have been violated by the US Army, it was just one where people got caught. I believe that there have been other incidences that just were not reported.

Anytime a soldier, marine, sailor, or airman violates the Geneva Conventions it is their fault and they should pay for it accordingly.

As for whose fault it is, perhaps you should point the finger to those so-called Americans who will vote for Bush, because if he is re-elected it will be their fault, no one else's.

[Raven]

12. The soldiers cannot avoid responsibility

for their acts. Having said that, there is clearly a breakdown of discipline among our troops, the responsibility for which lies with senior officers. Listening to the young soldier who gave the Democratic response on Saturday confirmed to me that the military was not prepared to fight this war and the young reservists who were sent to Iraq were not prepared for what they were thrown into. This, of course, is ultimately the fault of the guy who loves to call himself the "War President", the arrogant adolescent in the White House who doesn't think, doesn't read, does what he's told and has no moral compass.

From what I have read, this abuse happened two or more months ago. There was a written report made of it, but General Meyers said this morning that he had not see that report. How can that be!

Innocent people will surely die because of this abuse and any hopes of winning the "hearts and minds" of the people of the mideast have been dashed because of these acts.

Between handing over "authority" to former Saddam generals and the disgraceful incidents of abuse, Bush has lost this misguided war and we and our children will pay the price for decades to come.

[Webster Green]

13. The soldiers think they are getting revenge for 9/11........

That does not excuse their actions, but keep in mind that due to unrelenting propaganda, some three quarters of the US thinks there is a connection between 9/11 and Iraq. That number may be even higher among the military.

Even though we are the invaders, and we are attacking Iraqi citizens, the soldiers think they are fighting "terrorists" because that is what they've been told....over and over and over.

The president has them brainwashed, and he is ultimately responsible for any atrocities they commit.

[LeahMira]

14. You are generous...

I do not blame the soldiers. I feel sorry for our soldiers. They are not only being killed and maimed over in Iraq but they are also losing their minds. They are over deployed and tired.

... but I think you are making excuses. I agree that they are over deployed and tired, but I also believe that plenty of others are tired as well and are not getting involved with this sort of behavior.

The Nuremberg Trials made the point that INDIVIDUALS are responsible for their own behavior... not states, not presidents, not situations, but INDIVIDUALS.

One thing that impressed me when I read about the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto was the fact that even in that situation they organized school classes for the children and prayer services, discussion groups, and all kinds of cultural sorts of activities... as best they could. They kept records and journals for the sake of those who would survive and tell what happened, so they would be believed. They refused to become animals, even though that's the way they were being treated.

Some in this war may indeed be losing sanity, but some are letting it go.