Man, this is getting testy!
Concerning the pictures you showed, Laird:
The first picture I believe is that of a Union Army prisoner. Technically speaking, he was a prisoner of The Confederacy, and not of "America." The Civil War was partially about bringing some of those states back into the fold.
There was known, horrendous treatment of prisoners both in Georgia and here in Richmond on Brown's Island in the James River. Part of it was unbridled disdain for the invasion of the Union Army, and part of it was a simple lack of resources (from the blockade) as well as a breakdown in command & control towards the end of the war. In any case, there's nothing hidden here.
As for Abu Ghraib, well there are consequences being dealt out as we type.
Lynndie England ... is charged with 19 counts of assault, conspiracy, improper conduct and indecent acts, and could be sentenced to as much as 38 years in prison.
-
CNN
And insurgency-laden Iraq will be a hellhole for quite a long time, no matter what we do.
In the end though, I believe these very pictures speak to the need for compassion and fairness in the penal system. I'm glad I live in a society where such atrocities make it to the surface faster than you can say Pulitzer Prize. Rather than prove this country as lacking in fair treatment, I believe the publicity serves to keep our wardens honest. And that's not a bad thing.
- Bill
