[politics] About those troops...

Something I've just got to get off my chest...

But why should we hear about body bags and deaths and how many, what day it's going to happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Oh, I mean, it's, not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?
-- Barbara Bush, ABC's "Good Morning America", March 18, 2003

Let them eat cake.

-- Marie Antionette

It's approximately 500, of which -- I can get the exact numbers -- approximately 350 are combat deaths.
-- Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, 29 April 2004, testifying before a House Appropriations Subcommittee

There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of Men for this treachery.
-- Treebeard

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OK. I've got to talk some about the recent stories coming out about American soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners. I'm so angry, I can feel my blood pressure shoot up just thinking about it.

If you haven't seen the photos yourself, you can find them without much work at all. I will not pollute my journal with them.

The soldiers in these photos and all soldiers not photographed, but still participated are guilty of the following crimes:

• They have committed torture, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the UCMJ.
  
• They have committed rape, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the UCMJ.
  
• They have committed assault, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the UCMJ.
  
• They have digraced their uniforms, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the UCMJ.
  
• They have placed each and every American soldier who might be captured by anyone anywhere at risk of torture and other mistreatment by abrogating the Geneva Conventions, in violation of the UCMJ.
  
• They have committed insubordination, in violation of the UCMJ.
  
• They have jeapordized any attempt the U.S. might make at convincing the people of Iraq that there is any difference whatsoever between us and Saddam Hussein.
  
• The Gods know what else they may have committed.
  

There is only one possible defense against these crimes: the photoshop defense. The only way these people can possible be innocent is if the photos themselves are fraudulent.

Absent that defense, there can be only one punishment for these crimes: Upon conviction, a gibbet must be constructed in Iraq, in front of the very prison in which these crimes were committed. These people must be drummed out of the United States Military in all disgrace, in full view of their fellow soldiers and the people of Iraq. There must be no mistake to be made in any quarter that the United States as a nation and the United States military in particular cast these people out as abhorrent to everything we stand for.

Then they must be hanged by the neck until dead. Every last one of them.

And damn sure they aren't getting buried at Arlington.

The officers who didn't participate, but were negligent in supervision, in giving sufficient guidance on how to conduct oneself -- they can spend a few decades in Leavenworth contemplating their gross negligence.

Nothing less will preserve the honor of the United States military. Nothing less will send the message that these "soldiers" were not acting in accordance with the policies of the government of the United States. Nothing less is supporting the troops -- who now stand in grave danger of all manner of mistreatment should anyone capture them anywhere.

Thank the Gods the generals understand what's at stake here, at least.

[politics]

It appears that in addition to soldiers, at least one mercenary was involved in the torture of Iraqi prisoners.

Colonel Jill Morgenthaler, speaking for central command, told the Guardian: "One contractor was originally included with six soldiers, accused for his treatment of the prisoners, but we had no jurisdiction over him. It was left up to the contractor on how to deal with him."

She did not specify the accusation facing the contractor, but according to several sources with detailed knowledge of the case, he raped an Iraqi inmate in his mid-teens.

Now, first, let me make something perfectly clear. The mercenaries are by and large getting a bum rap. I know some mercenaries. I'm even friends with one or two. They're people, just like you and me, and the profession has a broad range of people in it, the same way that police, infosec professionals, school teachers, doctors, lawyers, and everyone else does. This is not a dis of mercenaries per se.

But this situation is intolerable. It is another example of poor planning on the part of the administration in the prosecution of this war. Who the hell decided that mercenaries operating in a U.S. military operation aren't subject the same standards that our soldiers are? Who the hell decided they aren't subject to the law of Proconsul Bremer's occupation? Who the hell decided that the only accountability this alleged rapist had was to his employer?!?

This person needs to be shipped back to Iraq and tried. I don't much care if it's under the UCMJ or whatever law is operating for civilians in Iraq right now. If this person is guilty, they need to be swinging high and long right next to the soldiers, and for exactly the same reasons.

And if some damnfool actually contracted with a mercenary firm that they would have this lack of accountability while representing the United States, that person needs to be staring at some serious criminal charges, too.

Godsdamit, that's two in one day. Time for numnums and a nap.