The US now has an opportunity to show what it stands for
With all the negative articles about US treatment of pows and the over the top 'USA are benign' counter posts I felt that a more balanced 'what now' post was in order.
I'll start with the current facts (as determined by General Taguba).
- US torture of pows is systematic in Iraq and Afganistan
- mental and physical torture (beatings and sodomy have occurred) have occured
- at least 2 murders have occurred (23 other deaths being investigated)
- US government was warned by Red Cross, UN, EU and local authorities of problems as early as last summer. First photos appeared in January.
Systematic abuse means that the US government failed. They knew for months of accusations and did nothing. So that's the failing, what can they do?
Well in reality the US have been handed an opportunity. How often do you have the entire focus of everyone waiting to see yuor reation? The US is currently in this state. It can use this chance to not only restore belief in its armed forces but also to show the Arab world what America stands for.
- Firstly Bush should publically apologise as head of the armed forces for their behavior. None of this 'I'm disgusted' but 'it was only a few individuals' excuse. He needs to apologise for the government as well as the individual failings. He needs to highlight these problems so that people see he is aware of them and not pretending that they don't exist.
- Secondly he needs to take immediate precautionary action. In January the pentagon decided to comission a review, and then sat on the report for another 2 motnhs. That's 4 months of extra torture that they allowed. Bush needs to convince people that this won't happen again. The immediate replacement of the government of the prison (which has happened) needs to be emphasised as well as an immediate suspension of ANY troops who may have been involved. Not 6 soldiers, but 10's if not 100's who have worked in the prison over that time should be suspended while investigated. Innoncent till proven guilty, but removed from the scene while this process takes place.
- Thirdly he needs to seriously investigate and punish those involved. He should be sending a high profile investigative team, INCLUDING military, civilian, human rights and some Arab members, to check out all suspected abuse cases. They should have the power to recommend people be criminally prosecuted in an open trial so that justice is seen to be done. Justice also needs to be heavy. Discharging soldiers is not a serious enough punishment. Jail sentenances should be used where appropriate. Separately he needs to investigate the system responsible for treatment of pows. Possibly a senate comission could do this. Where has the system failed and how needs to be determined, made public, corrected to ensure it doesn't happen again and any people responsible punished appropriately.
- Finally he needs to make it right and for it to be seen to be right. How to do this depends on the various findings. Training for all soldiers looking after prisoners is obviously the first step. Indepentant verification of prisoner welfare is another. Informing families waiting outside the prison that their loved ones are prisoners is also a must. Possibly the closure of Abu Ghairb itself.
If Bush uses this opportunity correctly he could make huge strides across the world and the Middle East in particular in changing their attitude to the US.
Paul.