by Starman » Thu Sep 29, 2005 3:00 pm
Hmmm ... A small step in the right direction -- I strongly believe in the crucial need for complete transparency about what the effect of US Foreign Policy is and holding those responsible for systemic crimes accountable, which this development is a small step in the direction of.<br><br>I've long believed that the argument that release of the photos would just provoke greater terrorism to be a false canard -- most Iraqis are ABUNDANTLY aware of US and GB-aided abuses and crimes, they sure don't need photographic confirmation. Witholding the photos mostly serves a narrow war-apology agenda. As it is, witness testimony and official reports by the UN and Human Rights groups etc. re: systemic abuses throughout the dozen or more major US-run military prisons has been effectively ignored and relegated to the memory black hole of DoD-operated disinfo-propaganda-denial. I haven't 'kept up', but the US Pentagon, WH spokespersons, Bush Admin. and State Dept. have consistently denied that the US was holding women and children, let alone that they were subjected to extreme conditions of deprivation, intimidation, physical violence and abuses -- despite numerous testimonies and witness reports that included a great deal of horrific detail.<br><br>I believe in 'let the chips fall where they may' -- that perhpas most of the serious miscalculations, mistakes, arrogant decisions and continuing deceptions and frauds result from past failures to reveal the truth of things and demand a complete accounting and reckoning -- America's 'leaders' have become masters at cover-up and denial, typically 'for the greater good' -- but this leads to greater and greater excesses as past lies are covered-up by newer, bigger lies -- and the system goes on and on and on. I'm deeply offended and disgusted by the whole foul system of back-scratching ass-covering that rewards loyal complicity and punishes truth-telling and calls for accountability.<br><br>It's a sad commentary that without the impact of the already-released photos, it's likely the truth about Abu Ghraib abuses would NEVER have been acknowledged let alone publicized.<br><br>Perhaps one of the more horrible things about the abuse scandals is that 'patriotism' has been so completely redefined and turned on its head, standing for little more than 'support' for troops and the US's policies, no matter how immoral, unwarranted, corrupted and wrong-headed it may be -- ideals of justice and principles of human rights and International agreement be damned. Far too much of the US public has a superficial, vague conception of what the war actually entails or how it has devastated lives -- they 'excuse' apparant excesses (which they care little to know about) as necessary to 'defend' American Interests -- also loosely defined as preserving the American 'way of life', ie., the status quo. It's incredibly frustrating to pierce the shell of denial by which so many folks insulate themselves from awareness, as IF they are actually doing the nation a service with their compliant accomodation.<br><br>The analogues with pre-war Nazi Germany are striking, and very troubling.<br>Starman <p></p><i></i>
