scm77
05-29-2004, 06:13 PM
Fri, May 28, 2004
Is it sympathy for the devil?
Peter Worthington says abuse ghastly, not unprecedented
By PETER WORTHINGTON -- For the Toronto Sun
In his "Best of the Web" column, the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto frets that "the journalistic obsession with Abu Ghraib has gotten out of hand."
References to the prison and indignities that went on in there by American military police keep cropping up in various unrelated stories.
Taranto cites the Abu Ghraib abuses being raised in anniversary stories about the Nuremberg trials, even in stories about sagging consumer trust in U.S. brand names like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Disney and Nike in a study "conducted before the news of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal broke."
Public seems indifferent
What has Abu Ghraib got to do with Coca-Cola? Non sequitur stuff.
I suspect the media is more outraged at Abu Ghraib than the American public. The "ordinary" Americans most upset at the goings-on are, I also suspect, soldiers.
I try to examine my own emotions. As a one-time soldier, I'm aghast at the disgrace these prison guards have brought onto all soldiers.
As for the Iraqi prisoners -- tough bananas. After what some of those guys have done, I couldn't care less.
I bet most Americans feel similarly.
That feeling intensified after the videotaped decapitation of Nick Berg. Sympathy for the dignity and self-esteem of Iraqi prisoners is low priority -- none of which justifies or mitigates what those bozo soldiers did.
Military prisons are not much fun. The Canadian military prison in Edmonton has the reputation of being tough but fair: Good food, hard work, endless activity, privileges earned by good behaviour.
No one wants back in
I was there a couple of times to visit Kyle Brown, imprisoned for the Somali torture case. Recidivism is rare -- no inmate wants to return.
Those who were overweight when incarcerated are lean and fit when they leave.
Those alcoholics or druggies who were undernourished when sentenced emerge more robust and fit.
Abu Ghraib brought to mind the Canadian military justice system of WWII and Korea, before King's Rules and Regulations were replaced by the National Defence Act.
A friend from army days and Korea, Vince Courtenay, recalls the system better than I.
It sounds primitive now, but sentences of three to seven days on nothing but bread and water were routine for minor offenses. The commanding officer could dish out 28-day sentences.
Bread and water consisted of eight slices of white bread and a canteen of water, which Vince recalls troops calling "piss and punk."
A full meal was required every third day on this diet, and "heavy fellows lost weight rapidly," says Vince, who insists he's not talking from personal experience.
He recalls the Camp Borden detention barracks (where we were both trained) had an abandoned construction site with a storage bin as a cell -- low ceiling, no lights, and solitary confinement.
Talking might entail three days of punishment diet.
Camp Wainwright in Alberta had a field punishment camp, 40 km from anything, where prisoners slept in squad tents, had to double-time everywhere, even standing in line for food.
Rocks in packsacks
Showers were cold water, the obstacle course every day, and a fieldpack of 30 or 40 kilos of stones.
Worst was the Commonwealth Field Punishment Camp in Korea, run by the British military police ("red hats") who had a sadistic reputation.
"Our provost were only disliked," recalls Vince. "The British military police were hated." An oddity about the harsh disciplinary measures in those days, he says, was the lack of bitterness or resentment among soldiers.
When they returned to their unit, they faced no prejudice, no ill-will, no harassment.
The soldier was usually glad to be back "with the boys" and officers and NCOs treated him the same as before. Soldiers didn't feel hard done by -- and were more careful next time.
That was then, this is now. Attitudes have changed.
However, I doubt any WWII veteran feels anything but disgust at those guards at Abu Ghraib -- and, conversely, little sympathy with the Iraqis.
------------------------------
I suspect the media is more outraged at Abu Ghraib than the American public. The "ordinary" Americans most upset at the goings-on are, I also suspect, soldiers.
I like that line. I also think it's true.
From Here (http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Peter_Worthington/2004/05/28/475980.html)
Is it sympathy for the devil?
Peter Worthington says abuse ghastly, not unprecedented
By PETER WORTHINGTON -- For the Toronto Sun
In his "Best of the Web" column, the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto frets that "the journalistic obsession with Abu Ghraib has gotten out of hand."
References to the prison and indignities that went on in there by American military police keep cropping up in various unrelated stories.
Taranto cites the Abu Ghraib abuses being raised in anniversary stories about the Nuremberg trials, even in stories about sagging consumer trust in U.S. brand names like McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Disney and Nike in a study "conducted before the news of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal broke."
Public seems indifferent
What has Abu Ghraib got to do with Coca-Cola? Non sequitur stuff.
I suspect the media is more outraged at Abu Ghraib than the American public. The "ordinary" Americans most upset at the goings-on are, I also suspect, soldiers.
I try to examine my own emotions. As a one-time soldier, I'm aghast at the disgrace these prison guards have brought onto all soldiers.
As for the Iraqi prisoners -- tough bananas. After what some of those guys have done, I couldn't care less.
I bet most Americans feel similarly.
That feeling intensified after the videotaped decapitation of Nick Berg. Sympathy for the dignity and self-esteem of Iraqi prisoners is low priority -- none of which justifies or mitigates what those bozo soldiers did.
Military prisons are not much fun. The Canadian military prison in Edmonton has the reputation of being tough but fair: Good food, hard work, endless activity, privileges earned by good behaviour.
No one wants back in
I was there a couple of times to visit Kyle Brown, imprisoned for the Somali torture case. Recidivism is rare -- no inmate wants to return.
Those who were overweight when incarcerated are lean and fit when they leave.
Those alcoholics or druggies who were undernourished when sentenced emerge more robust and fit.
Abu Ghraib brought to mind the Canadian military justice system of WWII and Korea, before King's Rules and Regulations were replaced by the National Defence Act.
A friend from army days and Korea, Vince Courtenay, recalls the system better than I.
It sounds primitive now, but sentences of three to seven days on nothing but bread and water were routine for minor offenses. The commanding officer could dish out 28-day sentences.
Bread and water consisted of eight slices of white bread and a canteen of water, which Vince recalls troops calling "piss and punk."
A full meal was required every third day on this diet, and "heavy fellows lost weight rapidly," says Vince, who insists he's not talking from personal experience.
He recalls the Camp Borden detention barracks (where we were both trained) had an abandoned construction site with a storage bin as a cell -- low ceiling, no lights, and solitary confinement.
Talking might entail three days of punishment diet.
Camp Wainwright in Alberta had a field punishment camp, 40 km from anything, where prisoners slept in squad tents, had to double-time everywhere, even standing in line for food.
Rocks in packsacks
Showers were cold water, the obstacle course every day, and a fieldpack of 30 or 40 kilos of stones.
Worst was the Commonwealth Field Punishment Camp in Korea, run by the British military police ("red hats") who had a sadistic reputation.
"Our provost were only disliked," recalls Vince. "The British military police were hated." An oddity about the harsh disciplinary measures in those days, he says, was the lack of bitterness or resentment among soldiers.
When they returned to their unit, they faced no prejudice, no ill-will, no harassment.
The soldier was usually glad to be back "with the boys" and officers and NCOs treated him the same as before. Soldiers didn't feel hard done by -- and were more careful next time.
That was then, this is now. Attitudes have changed.
However, I doubt any WWII veteran feels anything but disgust at those guards at Abu Ghraib -- and, conversely, little sympathy with the Iraqis.
------------------------------
I suspect the media is more outraged at Abu Ghraib than the American public. The "ordinary" Americans most upset at the goings-on are, I also suspect, soldiers.
I like that line. I also think it's true.
From Here (http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/Columnists/Toronto/Peter_Worthington/2004/05/28/475980.html)