60 Minutes II
I watched this story last night. It was truly awful. I don't know why there is no link to the pictures discussed--they certainly showed them on TV.
This is wrong for so many reasons. First, it's simply against the rules that the Army is bound to obey. Second, these things NEVER stay secret. If Saddam Hussein couldn't keep what went on in Abu Ghraib quiet, do you think anyone else could? Third, when the secret does come out (and it will), any US soldier captured can expect to face mistreatment as bad or worse than what went on in Abu Ghraib.
And if some captured soldiers do get tortured, that, too will become public. Which will just serve to inflame the armchair generals in this country, who will demand swift and severe retribution. Which, of course, since some of the vengeance will inevitably fall on the heads of some innocents, will serve to create more guerrillas.
FUBAR.
This bit was striking:
"Two weeks ago, 60 Minutes II received an appeal from the Defense Department, and eventually from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, to delay this broadcast -- given the danger and tension on the ground in Iraq.
"60 Minutes II decided to honor that request, while pressing for the Defense Department to add its perspective to the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison. This week, with the photos beginning to circulate elsewhere, and with other journalists about to publish their versions of the story, the Defense Department agreed to cooperate in our report."
I'm not sure why they sat on the story for two weeks. Anyone got some perspective?
I watched this story last night. It was truly awful. I don't know why there is no link to the pictures discussed--they certainly showed them on TV.
This is wrong for so many reasons. First, it's simply against the rules that the Army is bound to obey. Second, these things NEVER stay secret. If Saddam Hussein couldn't keep what went on in Abu Ghraib quiet, do you think anyone else could? Third, when the secret does come out (and it will), any US soldier captured can expect to face mistreatment as bad or worse than what went on in Abu Ghraib.
And if some captured soldiers do get tortured, that, too will become public. Which will just serve to inflame the armchair generals in this country, who will demand swift and severe retribution. Which, of course, since some of the vengeance will inevitably fall on the heads of some innocents, will serve to create more guerrillas.
FUBAR.
This bit was striking:
"Two weeks ago, 60 Minutes II received an appeal from the Defense Department, and eventually from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, to delay this broadcast -- given the danger and tension on the ground in Iraq.
"60 Minutes II decided to honor that request, while pressing for the Defense Department to add its perspective to the incidents at Abu Ghraib prison. This week, with the photos beginning to circulate elsewhere, and with other journalists about to publish their versions of the story, the Defense Department agreed to cooperate in our report."
I'm not sure why they sat on the story for two weeks. Anyone got some perspective?
posted by Jude at 7:55 AM
