thedrifter
05-15-04, 06:12 AM
05-12-2004
Don’t Let Abu Ghraib Overturn Our Success
By Jim Simpson
Grow Up!
Prior to the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom last year, I wrote that we would not find easy allies among the Iraqi people. It had nothing to do with Muslim disdain for Westerners. It had nothing to do with Iraqi fears of Western colonization. It had nothing to do with oil. It had completely to do with the average Iraqi’s horrific fear of his own government and its vast network of informants and enforcers.
The average Iraqi still possesses that fear. This cannot be emphasized enough. There remain very few Iraqi citizens willing to risk their lives in a public show of support for U.S. and coalition forces given the longstanding tendency of our civilian leadership to cut and run when the political establishment and their news media allies turn up the heat. And despite President Bush’s insistence on staying the course, he has already relented somewhat by promising to relinquish power to the Iraqis on a very premature June 30.
The recent flap over prisoner mistreatment will not help. Yes of course it is disdainful that U.S. soldiers would be implicated in such behavior. It is also incredibly stupid. It is unlikely that the cataloged humiliation would help interrogators much, if, as alleged, that were the goal. Indeed, once the prisoners figured out no harm would come to them, anger and a renewed determination to resist would likely replace their fear. Nothing infuriates a man like humiliation.
Finally, I can’t imagine what anyone hoped to gain by taking pictures. In this day and age it would be inconceivable to think that they would not appear in the press at some point. If I didn’t know better, I would be tempted think it was a setup designed to cripple the war effort. Yet every time I think people have reached the pinnacle of stupidity, someone comes along and proves me wrong.
There is no doubt this behavior points up problems in the discipline and training of those assigned to guard Iraqi POWs as well as a chain of command that did not provide the leadership necessary to prevent such abuse from occurring. But let’s put it in perspective. Who among those critics out there could look a bereaved mother in the face and tell her that her son had to die because international protocols, routinely and flagrantly violated by every other nation on earth (including Iraq), prevented the coercion necessary to extract vital tactical intelligence from a captured Iraqi?
Given the fact that there are over 100,000 troops currently stationed in Iraq, these few incidents pale in comparison to all the good they have accomplished. Compared with pre-war conditions, the average Iraqi has more freedom, security and economic opportunity than he’s had in thirty years, even with roadside bombs and the other forms of random terror.
Furthermore, if compared to the rate of abusive incidents that occur among our own civilian population, not to mention the intimidation, torture and murder suffered by Iraqis at the hands of their countrymen, these incidents should be put in the perspective they deserve. But don’t expect to hear much about that from our esteemed Fourth Estate or politicians.
This is a political year. It is an unfortunate reality of modern American politics that partisan politicians will use unfortunate revelations like this for strictly self-serving political purposes, regardless of the consequences to the war effort, our national security, our global standing or anything else. Disgraceful but true. The incidents have already been disingenuously mischaracterized as a “coverup” and we can expect more such heated rhetoric as long as politicians see an advantage to it.
And this is precisely what worries the average Iraqi.
The average Iraqi now fears, with increasing justification, the resurrection of a Ba’athist regime or some other form of radical totalitarian state following the U.S. withdrawal. While we have defeated Saddam’s army, the internal security forces of Saddam’s Iraq remain virtually everywhere. The average Iraqi knows that they remain pervasive. Paul Bremer’s unflinching dedication to “deba’athification” recognized this fact, and the decision to de-emphasize this policy strikes yet another blow to the establishment of a free and stable Iraq. Given that his trial is likely to occur years after we have left, it is even conceivable (to Iraqis at least) that Saddam could return to power.
Those Iraqis who willingly put their faces before a camera face grave personal risks if they publicly support the coalition and they know it. Thirty years of terror and one million deaths taught them a bit of reticence. It goes to reason therefore, that those who willingly speak to the Western media have one of two motivations. Either they are members of the old regime, with a vested interest in discrediting our efforts in Iraq, or they are private citizens ingratiating themselves to the still-pervasive regime underground or other insurgent groups operating among them. Few others dare speak publicly.
Journalists often consult the same person – who just happens to speak good English – over and over. Is it a coincidence that he speaks good English or that he happily offers his opinion? Some even rely on the contacts they had before the war, people who could have only been Ba’athists. Does it never occur to journalists that they are being used? It astounds me that our vaunted “investigative” news media have not caught on to this. Their interviews with the Iraqi “man on the street” are offered to us uncritically, as though they were interviewing someone on the streets of Des Moines, Iowa. Our intrepid reporters demonstrate all the shrewdness of a well-fed cow.
We should therefore, not take the highly publicized Iraqi “outrage” over the prison abuse scandal at face value. How do you suppose the average Iraqi really feels about prisoner “abuse”? Many of those languishing in Abu Ghraib prison were active participants in Saddam’s repressive regime. In fact, most are diehard Ba’athist holdouts, and as such were likely complicit in Saddam’s grossest crimes. Many Iraqi families have lost at least one member to these people. Others have been horribly tortured. Still more suffered under an economic system designed to benefit only the Ba’athists. Virtually all lived in daily fear.
continued.....
Don’t Let Abu Ghraib Overturn Our Success
By Jim Simpson
Grow Up!
Prior to the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom last year, I wrote that we would not find easy allies among the Iraqi people. It had nothing to do with Muslim disdain for Westerners. It had nothing to do with Iraqi fears of Western colonization. It had nothing to do with oil. It had completely to do with the average Iraqi’s horrific fear of his own government and its vast network of informants and enforcers.
The average Iraqi still possesses that fear. This cannot be emphasized enough. There remain very few Iraqi citizens willing to risk their lives in a public show of support for U.S. and coalition forces given the longstanding tendency of our civilian leadership to cut and run when the political establishment and their news media allies turn up the heat. And despite President Bush’s insistence on staying the course, he has already relented somewhat by promising to relinquish power to the Iraqis on a very premature June 30.
The recent flap over prisoner mistreatment will not help. Yes of course it is disdainful that U.S. soldiers would be implicated in such behavior. It is also incredibly stupid. It is unlikely that the cataloged humiliation would help interrogators much, if, as alleged, that were the goal. Indeed, once the prisoners figured out no harm would come to them, anger and a renewed determination to resist would likely replace their fear. Nothing infuriates a man like humiliation.
Finally, I can’t imagine what anyone hoped to gain by taking pictures. In this day and age it would be inconceivable to think that they would not appear in the press at some point. If I didn’t know better, I would be tempted think it was a setup designed to cripple the war effort. Yet every time I think people have reached the pinnacle of stupidity, someone comes along and proves me wrong.
There is no doubt this behavior points up problems in the discipline and training of those assigned to guard Iraqi POWs as well as a chain of command that did not provide the leadership necessary to prevent such abuse from occurring. But let’s put it in perspective. Who among those critics out there could look a bereaved mother in the face and tell her that her son had to die because international protocols, routinely and flagrantly violated by every other nation on earth (including Iraq), prevented the coercion necessary to extract vital tactical intelligence from a captured Iraqi?
Given the fact that there are over 100,000 troops currently stationed in Iraq, these few incidents pale in comparison to all the good they have accomplished. Compared with pre-war conditions, the average Iraqi has more freedom, security and economic opportunity than he’s had in thirty years, even with roadside bombs and the other forms of random terror.
Furthermore, if compared to the rate of abusive incidents that occur among our own civilian population, not to mention the intimidation, torture and murder suffered by Iraqis at the hands of their countrymen, these incidents should be put in the perspective they deserve. But don’t expect to hear much about that from our esteemed Fourth Estate or politicians.
This is a political year. It is an unfortunate reality of modern American politics that partisan politicians will use unfortunate revelations like this for strictly self-serving political purposes, regardless of the consequences to the war effort, our national security, our global standing or anything else. Disgraceful but true. The incidents have already been disingenuously mischaracterized as a “coverup” and we can expect more such heated rhetoric as long as politicians see an advantage to it.
And this is precisely what worries the average Iraqi.
The average Iraqi now fears, with increasing justification, the resurrection of a Ba’athist regime or some other form of radical totalitarian state following the U.S. withdrawal. While we have defeated Saddam’s army, the internal security forces of Saddam’s Iraq remain virtually everywhere. The average Iraqi knows that they remain pervasive. Paul Bremer’s unflinching dedication to “deba’athification” recognized this fact, and the decision to de-emphasize this policy strikes yet another blow to the establishment of a free and stable Iraq. Given that his trial is likely to occur years after we have left, it is even conceivable (to Iraqis at least) that Saddam could return to power.
Those Iraqis who willingly put their faces before a camera face grave personal risks if they publicly support the coalition and they know it. Thirty years of terror and one million deaths taught them a bit of reticence. It goes to reason therefore, that those who willingly speak to the Western media have one of two motivations. Either they are members of the old regime, with a vested interest in discrediting our efforts in Iraq, or they are private citizens ingratiating themselves to the still-pervasive regime underground or other insurgent groups operating among them. Few others dare speak publicly.
Journalists often consult the same person – who just happens to speak good English – over and over. Is it a coincidence that he speaks good English or that he happily offers his opinion? Some even rely on the contacts they had before the war, people who could have only been Ba’athists. Does it never occur to journalists that they are being used? It astounds me that our vaunted “investigative” news media have not caught on to this. Their interviews with the Iraqi “man on the street” are offered to us uncritically, as though they were interviewing someone on the streets of Des Moines, Iowa. Our intrepid reporters demonstrate all the shrewdness of a well-fed cow.
We should therefore, not take the highly publicized Iraqi “outrage” over the prison abuse scandal at face value. How do you suppose the average Iraqi really feels about prisoner “abuse”? Many of those languishing in Abu Ghraib prison were active participants in Saddam’s repressive regime. In fact, most are diehard Ba’athist holdouts, and as such were likely complicit in Saddam’s grossest crimes. Many Iraqi families have lost at least one member to these people. Others have been horribly tortured. Still more suffered under an economic system designed to benefit only the Ba’athists. Virtually all lived in daily fear.
continued.....