We must face the realities of what the occupation of Iraq did and continues to do to US military personnel, prisoners and all Iraqis. The real ghosts of Abu Ghraib will haunt us for years to come because people refuse to face the truth - torture and abuse was authorized by the highest levels of our government, in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions, human rights and all things decent and honorable.
We must face the reality of what brought about the abuse of prisoners in Abu Ghraib - the US war on terror sanctions torture. Rory Kennedy's new film, The Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (HBO, Feb 22) provides rare insight into the details of what led to the photographs, and more importantly the deceit behind the authorized use of torture and abuse. From my perspective, this is the real shock and awe.
Our elected officials used and abused the ill equipped soldiers serving at Abu Ghraib by playing on their fear and anguish of being killed by random mortar and rocket attacks. These Soldiers did what they were told to do, desperate to please instructors who promised that their actions would help bring the war to an end - the negligent, evil minded instructors who were actually independent contractors more concerned about lining their pockets with profits gained in an illegal war.
Thousands of innocent Iraqis were detained without hope of release, branded as terrorists or known associates of terrorists. They were subjected to humiliation, torture and abuse at the hands of their captors and the guards assigned to protect them. To what end?
- Billions and billions of dollars were thrown after the elusive weapons of mass destruction until the lie became a temporary reality.
- Billions upon billions of dollars made their way into contractors' coffers with the outcome being humiliation, torture and abuse in order to justify a continuing charade that denied the truth.
- The blame fell on Soldiers who were voiceless and could not begin to oppose the arrogance of the Bush Administration elite who are enjoying protective cover.
- Soldiers were tried and convicted in the world court of opinion before ever setting foot into a court room.
- Soldiers took the blame and suffered the fall, while the real architects of torture and abuse remained blameless and, in numerous cases, promoted.
Justice? What justice? Attorney John Yoo knew all the details of the plan and authorized it in his now infamous memo. He was given a green light to proceed after sharing his memo with Vice President Dick Cheney. MG Miller designed, implemented, tested and refined these techniques at GITMO, the notorious prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, then brought them to Abu Gharib. Senior military leaders, intimidated by the former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, remained silent in an effort to protect careers. Yet they all remain blameless. Those who knew, directed it, endorsed it and supported it stepped casually into the role of torturers and abusers, replacing the former Iraqi dictator himself, Saddam Hussein.
May the ghosts of Abu Gharib haunt these cowardly leaders forever.
