One-Third of Troops in Iraq Support Torture, Majority Condone Mistreating Innocent Civilians

[marmar]

from AlterNet:


:cry:

One-Third of Troops in Iraq Support Torture, Majority Condone Mistreating Innocent Civilians

By Winslow Wheeler, AlterNet. Posted May 24, 2007.



A recent study shows startling findings about the widespread abuse of Iraqi civilians by U.S. troops. When the "surge" fails, will we take a hard look at ourselves in the mirror?

Two weeks ago, the press reported on the findings of a five-month-old study dealing with soldiers' ethics and mental health from the Office of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army Medical Command. Some accounts focused on an alarming statistic in the executive summary of the report: 10 percent of the Soldiers and Marines interviewed reported "mistreating noncombatants (damaged/destroyed Iraqi property when not necessary or hit/kicked a noncombatant when not necessary)." The articles raised the specter of widespread mistreatment of Iraqi civilians by U.S. troops -- an issue darkly hinted at by previous -- but seemingly isolated -- reports of rape and murder, such as in Haditha, Iraq.

Some of the press accounts of the surgeon general's study, "Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) IV; Operation Iraqi Freedom 05-07," also reported the more detailed findings from its chapter on "Battlefield Ethics." The information became more disconcerting; the problems were clearly more serious and pervasive than the executive summary indicated:

"Only 47 percent of soldiers and only 38 percent of Marines agreed that noncombatants should be treated with dignity and respect."

"Well over a third of soldiers and Marines reported torture should be allowed, whether to save the life of a fellow soldier or Marine … or to obtain important information about insurgents…."

* 28 percent of soldiers and 30 percent of Marines reported they had cursed and/or insulted Iraqi noncombatants in their presence.
* 9 percent and 12 percent, respectively, reported damaging or destroying Iraqi property "when it was not necessary."
* 4 percent and 7 percent, respectively, reported hitting or kicking a noncombatant "when it was not necessary.
* The study also reports that only 55 percent of soldiers and just 40 percent of Marines would report a unit member injuring or killing "an innocent noncombatant," and just 43 percent and 30 percent, respectively, would report a unit member destroying or damaging private property.

It is notable that these are the responses the survey team received; there are probably more soldiers and Marines who may have been reluctant to respond completely and accurately to an Army questionnaire on such sensitive topics. Therefore, the data recorded should be regarded as a floor, not a ceiling. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/52292/

[PDittie]

1. That number approximates

those Americans polled who believe Bush is doing a good job.

I have almost come to the conclusion that there's always going to be roughly 30% of people who are on the wrong side of everything.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Of course we don't agree

and it's hard to understand. But put yourself in their shoes for one moment. Your buddy shows up floating in the river. Another one is under a bridge with his head chopped off. You haven't known anything but the insanity of war for a full year. Filth, poverty, the stench of death, squalor surrounds you at all times. Now make a moral judgement 100%. :cry: indeed

[atreides1]

4. So, that's an excuse

What about that Iraqi man who you just blew away, the day before while you busted into his house and shot him as he was sitting in his living room, do you ever stop to think that your buddy would still be alive today if you acted differently?

You kill them, they kill you, it's a vicious circle that just keeps going round and round!!!!

Now consider who sent you there, and think about the changing reasons that you can't go home, that you missed your child's birthday, or Christmas, that a civilian government is making you stay in that insane world because one party wants to fill its pockets while the other party is too wussy to make the hard decisions out of fear of losing their precious positions?

So, who's fault is it that the headless body of your buddy was found floating in the river?????

[Demeter]

5. Would People of Rational Thought Permit Themselves To Get Trapped In This War?

There's always options. Death is an option, and people have chosen death rather than to become destroyers or the destroyed. Prison is an option, for the squeamish. Madness is an option, and many are driven to it, unfortunately, there's no exit from that: it's a dead end.

[Why Syzygy]

6. hopelessness

does not lead to moral behavior. Compare the hopelessness we feel to what they must. Another day of killing or being killed.

I'm certainly not defending torture OR Iraq. It is all wrong. We know who to blame but no one seems interested in holding them to account.

[Turbineguy]

3. How many saw things that way

before they went to Iraq?