Poll: 73% of Americans Say Iraqi Abuse "Unjustified"

Actually I'm a bit alarmed that 27% of the population think that such blatant acts of reckless needless molestation against innocent civilians is justified.

hi Centroles- 27% is high, but probably represents an accurate percentage of people who's politics are far to the right.

There are even a couple right here on able2know who are working hard to minimize the damage to Bush.

Just as there are quite a few trying to maximize it. Bush bashing is just another regularly featured by-product of liberal hate.

Able2Know is a breeding place of liberal hatred for republicans and conservatives alike. I admit that there are several conservatives here on the board but they are far outnumbered by the liberal hate machine that is against George W. Bush and everything that he stands for. Regardless of any good that may have come from this presidency, all they will see is the bad and will continue to blame him personally for what a group of soldiers did in Iraq. Yet Kerry gets a pass on all of his transgressions.

I don't know about a breeding ground, but it sure does draw them like moths to a flame.

All right I will grant that point McGentrix.

Are you sure? I do not hate Bush but, I can not condone activities in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention. Are you mistaking indignation due to the blatantly illegal actions of US military personnel and the administrations attitude toward it for hatred of the people involved? Perhaps your are projecting your feelings.
What are the facts?
Fact: Our people deviated from the rules governing the proper treatment of POWs.
Fact: Someone was stupid to take pictures of these violations.
Fact: Those pictures ended up in public view.
Fact: The US refuses to join the international Criminal Court, therefore the perpetrators of these actions can not be tried by it as war criminals.

Now that the world knows, how the administration reacts is crucial. Remember this is government of the people, by the people and for the people. If the people cry foul then the government is duty bound to listen.
Look at this issue from another perspective. Imagine the rolls reversed, our GIs' being humiliated and abused by smirking Iraqi soldiers. How would you feel then? "Neuc em till they glow and shoot em in the dark!"
If we preach equality then to be believed we must practice equality. Anything less makes us liars.

Sam

What about the four or five bodies that were dragged through the streets, burned and hung from the bridge. Or even this http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20040511_925.html I agree that the people that committed the autrocities need to be tried and convicted, but the Geneva Convention only applies to uniformed soldiers so that doesn't fly.

See? You have a lot in common with Bush because he doesn't condone activities in direct contravention of the Geneva Convention either.

You are reacting as though it's been brushed under the carpet and that the government doesn't care about what happened and that is just not true.

I have yet to hear from anyone who DOES condone the treatment of those people in Iraq.

Rush Limbaugh came pretty close.

Rush didn't condone it, he likened it to Fraternity Hazing, which if you took the fact that it was done to prisoners and change that to pledges and that it was done by soldiers and change that to members of the frat you would have some pretty close comparisons. Pledges have frequently endured very tough "rituals" the difference was that they wanted to be part of the group and these prisoners did not.

What about the 27% who found the abuses justified? Again, if the shoe was on the other foot, as it has been, how would they react?
I have seen the UCMJ in action. The punishment came fast and hard. Teaching by example, disobey and this will happen to you!
The truth is the whole thing makes me sick.

Sam

saintsfanbrain

Abuse with consent is different then breaking the law. You may also want to note that there have been "frats" thrown off campus for brutal hazing rituals. Come to think of I belive there may have been criminal charges because of some of those rituals. Some of the members took the phrase, " I'm dieing to be a member." too literally.

Sam

I find it interesting how Bush has expended the moral capital he had after 911. America had the sympathy of the world. The Household cavalry played the Star Spangled Banner outside Buckingham Palace. I shed a tear. We gave money. Since then we gave our effort time blood sweat etc etc in defeating al Qaida.

Now more Americans die in Iraq and the rest of the world says nothing...or quietly says serves them right. What's gone wrong?

I'm not a natural American hater...but my God when I see the smirk on that mans face...I can understand why so many do hate America.

British war graves in Gaza were desecrated yesterday with slogans USA = UK = swastika.

Bush is going to get us all killed.

Sam - that was the point that I made. I stated that the difference was that the fraternity rituals were "asked" for and the prisoners were just prisoners but the acts that were done were very similar in nature. I do not condone those acts on either side of the aisle, but I think we should look at this with a little bit of perspective and I too know all to well about the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. It is swift, and fair.

saintsanbrian opines, "I stated that the difference was that the fraternity rituals were "asked" for and the prisoners were just prisoners but the acts that were done were very similar in nature."

Really?

I don't know what university you attended, but at my alma mater, I don't recall any fraternity pranks involving sodomizing men with chemical sticks or siccing attack dogs on the frats.

Is there no end to the right's attempts at spinning Abu Ghraib in a positive, harmless light?

Infowarrior

Bingo! Give that man a cigar!

Sam

Info, which fraternity did you pledge?

McGEntrix, I was a Delta Tau Delta. Neither we, nor any other house at the University of Wyoming raped each other, beat each other, or killed each other (we did alcohol poison a pledge, but he helped! ). Are you tring to imply that you did these sort of things at your house? It would explain the signs of psychopathology you demonstrate on this forum.