May. 06, 2004 - 21:12 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Do Something

A few words from a column by Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune of this morning seem to be in order here.

Moral high ground lost

"Our government needs to impose the same level of humanity, transparency and accountability that we expect from our enemies when they are holding American troops."

"We now know that an internal Army review last fall blasted the military intelligence-gathering in Abu Ghraib for, among other problems, inadequate staffing and training of some reserve intelligence troops. At the same time, those operatives have come under increasing pressure to root out Iraqi insurgents and figure out the strength of their support."

"The jail's now-relieved commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, commander of the 800th Military Police Brigade, which is based in Uniondale, N.Y, and lawyers for the soldiers argue they are being made scapegoats for a flawed military prison system in which civilian "contract interrogators gave orders without legal accountability to uniformed troops who did not have training as prison guards or interrogation assistants."

"Such problems lie at the root of the problems at Abu Ghraib, according to the army's internal review. Detention for purposes of interrogation always have potential for abuse, especially in untrained hands."

"If it comes to you as news that the United States now hires out interrogation duties in much the same way that you might hire a plumber or electrician, chalk it up to Defense Secretary Donald's continuing efforts to restructure, downsize and privatize our military."

"The problem with using civilian contractors for intelligence and other sensitive work involving human rights issues is that no one is quite sure what laws apply to them. As U.S. civilians they are not accountable to American military law or Iraqi civilian laws." "They may be accountable under some American laws that have yet to be tested. In the meantime they're pretty much free agents."

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Another thing mentioned in an editorial article in the same paper today. "The most immediate concern, of course, is the victims of the abuse. But a close second must be that American sodiers who are already in danger in Iraq now find themselves in greater peril."

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The more this is investigated and persued to the end I wouldn't be surprised that this sort of thing has happened in many places in the world we have taken prisoners -- oh, excuse me -- detained civilians.

Makes me wonder about the caliber of the men in our upper echelon who allow this sort of thing to happen. Not exercising control in the training of raw troops and not firmly basing them in human rights before they ever leave the country.

How convenient to be able to blame contractors and contract civilian "interrogators" . . . . . Hmmm, I wonder what tests they passed, how were they investigated and declared competent to do that sort of work ?

This sort of thing seems to be creeping into everything now. I think proper steps should be taken to instil ethics in ALL government people, not just the low man on the totem pole. Now is the time . . . . somebody, Do Something . . . . . . . . .

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