Loosing Iraq

So on the heals of the deadliest month for US troops in Iraq comes the story about the US run torture prisons of death. It looks like the soldiers who did this face courts martial and the civilian contractors who participated in the events and ordered it to happen will get away with a slap on the wrist. The contractors could get a harsher punishment if they are contracted throught the military, but if they are contracted throught the CIA then they are likely exempt from prosecution.

So not only is an average of more than 4 soldiers a day still dying in Iraq, but we have now told the Iraqi people that the whole "winning the battle for the hearts and minds" was pretty much a big joke. On April 30th Bush said "there are no longer torture chambers or mass graves or rape rooms in Iraq." Obviously he didn't know this story was going to break. Except that there has been an investigation in to abuses at this prison since at least January.

So, we have lost all credibility with the Iraqi people, we have lost over 800 troops and there is still no one to hand power over to in July.

This next part is pure speculation, and should be treated as such. It should also be noted that I am not the first to think or say this. Is it possible that the CIA and the military was specificly using civilian contractors who would be difficult or impossible to prosecute for criminal wrong doings so that they could use extreme measures in the interegation of Iraqi prisoners?

Posted by Noah Brimhall at May 4, 2004 05:27 PM