Prisoner abuse

Everything that might be happening in our world today, tomorrow, or yesterday.

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Zylo
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Postby Zylo » Thu May 13, 2004 11:04 pm

I've heard a lot about the guard's actions being explained due to the corruption inherent in gaining power over another human being, but I think it's something else that led them to do this.<br><br>For soldiers in war, there's something of a complete moral breakdown for many. Only a hopeless optimist could think that the rules of war are followed completely by both sides of a conflict. It just doesn't happen. Soldiers are in a psychologically unstable state in a war; they're surrounded by destruction and chaos. Rules are one of the few things that give order to a soldier in war; once the rules are disregarded, instability takes over and a complete moral breakdown ensues. Often times, orders by superiors are the only thing giving structure to a soldier's life, and a soldier will stick to those orders if for no other reason than to obtain stabilty. In this chaotic, unstable state, it becomes hard for a soldier to tell when orders are good or bad. Look at something like the My Lai massacre in Vietnam: anywhere from 175-400 civilians were slaughtered, women and children included, several rapes took place. It just another example of how war skews a soldier's perception of reality and their sense or morality. They were "just obeying orders." Am I justifying the guards' actions? No. What they did was wrong, regardless of the state of war. I'm just giving a psychological look into what happened. Given what we know about human nature in war, we should be dissapointed that something like this happened; however, we shouldn't be overly shocked. Those responsible should be punished as such, both superiors and the guards themselves.<br><br>As far as a political look at this, I see it as kinda mixed. On one hand, it's foolish to think that Iraqis aren't doing equally immoral and inhuman acts; it's not like we're the only ones to sink to the lowest common denominator. On the other hand, as the great nation we are, we have a responsibility to uphold the rules of war and act responsibly as the nation we are. If we're so powerful, we shouldn't have to resort to such guerilla tactics. The saddest part is that once can almost be guaranteed that more things equally dispicable are being done by some of our troops, this one just happened to be the one that surfaced to the media. <br><br>I think the media has an obligation to keep us informed of the situation, BOTH THE GOOD AND BAD. It seems we can't keep a balance; some outlets push the war as a complete success and hide the dirt, while others focus on sullying the war effort and don't acknowledge some of the good things that are happening. The press is becoming yellower than a banana. Also, the footage of the torture does not have a connection to the recent beheading of an American in Iraq; the victim in question was missing well before the footage was released (both the footage of the prisoners and the video of the beheading).
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Sakie
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Postby Sakie » Thu May 13, 2004 11:37 pm

ooo the way he sceamed sent a chill through me

Ankaris
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Postby Ankaris » Fri May 14, 2004 12:08 am

And <i>that</i> is just one reason I refuse to watch that movie, darkdragon <!--emo&:ph34r:--><img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... /ph34r.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ph34r.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Oh dear lord sig is fubar. o_o

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Henohenomoheji
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Postby Henohenomoheji » Fri May 14, 2004 12:49 am

wait, you mean the government doesn't have control over the media? I thought "they" just said that to keep our guard down... I mean, I'm still pretty sure the government can issue bribes n' threats, but I still think they're not telling us something... exactly what I don't know... but then, I don't know anything. That's why I'm here, so that you guys can tell me stuff.
Miyo! Chikara no chizu!<br><br>Living proof that Ninja and Pirates can live together in peace, harmony, and fun at the expense of ye hapless townsfolk.<br><br>"<br>< e<br> -|-|-/ < <br>< e <br>_________/ <br>-------------------------<br><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Hey... On page 375 it says "Jeebus"...</span>

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norsenerd
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Postby norsenerd » Fri May 14, 2004 4:20 am

Ok Iyestorm: the government does not bribe and threaten the media with rare exceptions and I belive that most of those are blown open. The corts protect junorests form this kind of thing and when it does happen its mostly individuals doign the bribing and threatining and not government polocy. I have faith in our government still.<br><br>I agree theat yellow jurnalisim is evil but showing these pictures certatly isn't. Any news outlet that pushins one side of somethign and dosn;t seek to be objective is disgusting and wholy irresponsable. We still don;t ackloledge the scietific evidence on why the Maine sunk.
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Burning Sheep Productions
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Postby Burning Sheep Productions » Sat May 15, 2004 7:56 am

People need money, the reporters get paid more if their story is more interesting, it's not exactly their fault that people get the wrong idea, it's more of an unsymbiotic aspect in the system we live in.
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