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Must_B_Free Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:12 AM
Original message
Iraqis tortured Prisoner Thomas Hamill
I guess what they are saying is that if both sides are guilty of the war crime of torture, then Bush is off the hook... :eyes:

"Hamill, 44, said his English-speaking captors moved him many times throughout the Iraqi desert. They tortured him by falsely telling him he would be released within several days, shackling him, brandishing weapons and threatening his life, he said. "

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040509/ap_on_re_us/hamill_home&cid=519&ncid=716
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MadProphetMargin Donating Member (756 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:13 AM
Response to Original message
1. Holy CRAP! That's WAY worse than rape, or ass-pyramids, or
beating people to death with steel cables. :rolleyes:
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yardwork Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:13 AM
Response to Original message
2. Wait. This is torture but what we did to Iraqis is "abuse?"
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Must_B_Free Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:14 AM
Response to Reply #2
3. Yeah! I get it.
I knew our people would never stoop to the enemy's level. :eyes:
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MadProphetMargin Donating Member (756 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:15 AM
Response to Reply #2
4. You ask too many questions, citizen. Please turn yourself in for
manditory re-education.
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Media_Lies_Daily Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:15 AM
Response to Original message
5. Weak. Very weak.
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Tempest Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:17 AM
Response to Original message
6. And yet they still fixed up his arm
His story has too many holes in it.
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maggrwaggr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:19 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. from what I heard, yes, they treated him very well, relatively
including bringing in doctors to perform surgery on his wounded arm.

I mean, that's kind of like a broomstick up the ass, I suppose ...
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Must_B_Free Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:19 AM
Response to Reply #6
8. I never thought about it, but maybe they let him go?
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Rowdyboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:19 AM
Response to Original message
9. Hammill did not call it torture. Kathy Hanrahan, a reporter
used those words. He said that they moved him around a lot and told her what they did to him.

Don't blame this guy for the words a reporter uses. He has done his level best to keep quiet and stay out of the limelight. They simply refuse to allow him that basic decency.
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wtmusic Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:21 AM
Response to Reply #9
12. Who's Kathy Hanrahan
some neocon mouthpiece?
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Rowdyboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:26 AM
Response to Reply #12
16. No idea, but if you look at the original link for this thread ...
Edited on Sun May-09-04 01:27 AM by Rowdyboy
she's the author.

I'm merely saying, I don't believe Hammill called it torture, I think the reporter used that word. We shall see.
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wtmusic Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:43 AM
Response to Reply #16
23. It's not clear
whether the word 'torture' was part of the original quote or not. Its inclusion is curious--a very charged word that is not clearly attributed. Smells fishy.
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TacticalPeek Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:38 AM
Response to Reply #9
21. You're correct. I didn't hear him say he was tortured. Reporter's license.
In fact, he talked like he had a poor time of it, not a horrible time at all. Aside from the incommunicado confinement itself, obviously.

He said they shackled him, including legs at night, only after they learned of the abuse pics. Well, also after he had busted out once (at least). Even if he was badly abused, he seems to have the angles figured on this situation, and would not mention 'torture' publicly because of the potential reverberations.

Smells like purple prose from Hanrahan.

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Rowdyboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:43 AM
Response to Reply #21
24. I have no problem condemning a person for what he or she says
But I'll be god-damned if I'll blast someone for the words of a reporter I've never heard of before.

And I would expect better treatment than that from liberals.
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wtmusic Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:21 AM
Response to Original message
10. I guess we saw this coming...
he's already been on the phone with Rove
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DustMolecule Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:21 AM
Response to Original message
11. Did he get the broom-handle treatment?
just a yes/no will do.

I'm still :puke: from all of this. :grr:
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othermeans Donating Member (858 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:23 AM
Response to Original message
13. Jessica Lynch
You know it seems that the Iraqi military showed more humanity treating our prisoners of war than we ever showed theirs.

Lynch said during her recovery in an Iraqi hospital a nurse stayed by her side and sang to her. Also the allegation of rape was never proven and from all accounts by Iraqis and US personnel never happened.

Just more propaganda from Obersturm Fuhrer Rumsfeld.

Lynch later stated on TV that she was "used (her words not mine) by the Army to promote their agenda." I don't here them throwing the hero word around about her anymore.
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bluestateguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:24 AM
Response to Original message
14. The "everybody does it" defense
Excusing bad behavior by bringing up the bad behavior of others is a poor technique of argument.
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The Traveler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:25 AM
Response to Original message
15. It sounds like they used harsh language
Oh. My. How horrible. Let's grab one of the bastards and wire up his nuts to a car battery.

</end scarasm>

All kidding aside, glad dude made a clean break and is home safe. Had to be scary for him and his people. But it doesn't sound like torture as such ... not like what we did.

God, I am so ashamed right now.
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seabeyond Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:27 AM
Response to Original message
17. this is a rove deal
i heard the morning he got out, his brother said the first time he got out wandered in desert didnt know where to go and the insurgents were good enough to him he went back

this is the silliest firstly, but further


because they do it does not make it ok. period the end. thisis the stupidest i have been listening to. they drag and dismembered those four mercenaries and didnt apologize

those merceneries were dead before they burned adn were dismembered and hung. they dont say that anymore. it wasnt like all this was done to live men. and second., we expected this behavior and the has been surprisingly not much of it, but doesnt mean we get to torture. shit they killed a 1000 innocent iraqi's men women and children for that.
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AussieInCA Donating Member (510 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:33 AM
Response to Original message
18. stupid ass freaper are killing each other over this
Edited on Sun May-09-04 01:33 AM by AussieInCA
To: FairOpinion
"Why is it you believe everything you read, just as long as it shows the US in a bad light..."
Who the HELL do you think you're talkking to? I've supported the war from day 1! And you had no trouble with me when I was supporting Arnold Schwartzenegger for governor of California a few months ago!

I'M talking about the Pentagon's officila report of their investigation of this matter, which detailed everything I said, WITH PROOF, including photos, video, and sworn statements by the perps themselves!

"And again -- these are NOT POW-s."

They ARE, according to all US military doctrine and orders. They are to be treated as such until such time as they are deemed otherwise by MUCH higher authority than a sargeant in a prison.

Why are you defending such reprehensible behavior, and trying to deflect the blamne for it? I seriously thought you were better than that.


32 posted on 05/08/2004 11:18:43 PM PDT by Long Cut



I feel sorry for this guy...one voice of sannity of there...rest of them are a bunch of racist hateful chickenhawks.
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No2W2004 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:33 AM
Response to Original message
19. I heard on the radio today
His hometown wanted to throw him a parade

He refused and told the media that he won't be doing any interviews until further notice. He just wants to be at home with his family.

Sounds like another one who won't follow the script.
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AussieInCA Donating Member (510 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:34 AM
Response to Reply #19
20. he already was on faux praising bushco*
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Tinoire Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:43 AM
Response to Original message
22. OMG! The absolute NERVE!
Is this the new spin? That they "tortured" him?

If they tortured him so much, why did he go back after escaping a first time? Why do we have Hamill in his own words saying that he was kindly treated and cared for?

The shills have lost it! Lol, oh lol. Hamill tortured now :eyes:

Hammill however is a real IDIOT and opportunist.

---

Thomas Hamill was interviewed this evening by Rita Cosby who asked him if he'd go back to Iraq. He said he wants to but his family doesn't want him to. He then asked Rita if she wanted to know why he'd go back and he told her "Because George W Bush makes me proud to be an American"

<snip>

Hammill: I stand behind this mission (to Iraq) and I stand behind this President.

Nasty link here
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AussieInCA Donating Member (510 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:45 AM
Response to Reply #22
25. Yep, who is politicizing the war now..
just adds to the mess of the world's peception of the US
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rebellious woman Donating Member (165 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 01:52 AM
Response to Reply #25
26. Been offered a book deal and
other glorious goodies...Talk shows, parades and maybe an
invite to the WH? Next the Medal of Honor? Sorry
folks I don't believe this guy for a minute. Something else
going on here.

Source: CNN online
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Rowdyboy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 02:37 AM
Response to Reply #22
27. The reporter called it torture, not Hammill (at least thats how I read it)
Its really sad...He's a basic dumbass country boy who really doesn't know any better. His wife has already announced that he's not going back (she said she has brothers who will break his legs if he tries).

Basically, he's too goddamned stupid to realize how the Bush administration has used him and played him for a fool. I don't hate him. He's just really, really sad. Remember, the reason he was over there is because he went broke trying to make it here and his wife needed major surgery. Now, he has a chance to make MILLIONS on a book/movie deal and he's blithely unaware. He's not the brightest bulb in the pack....
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leftofthedial Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 03:36 AM
Response to Original message
28. nudity to a muslim is horrible
much like a Murkan being forcibly kept away from his or her SUV

I suppose.

Our media needs to be purged.
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tkmorris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 04:10 AM
Response to Original message
29. Great! The word "torture" is thus defined
Now, lets do a case by case study of the Iraqi prisoners, and using this definition find out how many we tortured. What do you think, 5-8000 or so?

Oh my, it just occured to me that if THIS is "torture" we are going to need a whole new set of superlatives to address the treatment some Iraqis have endured. For example, using Hamills treatment as a baseline for "torture", what do we call beating an Iraqi prisoner for 11 hours, repeatedly kicking him in the ribs and spine, almost breaking one's wrist on his skull, breaking his teeth clean off, and then tossing him from a moving truck while almost comatose, never to know if he lived or died?

Words are failing me here. Demonic? Nah. Hitleresque? Nope, overused reference. Brutal? Way too weak.

War crimes. Hmmm, that may work. Sounds weak but it sets one hell of a precedent. Has some teeth. I like it.
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daleo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 05:14 AM
Response to Original message
30. By these lights the U.S. military has tortured the entire country of Iraq
"falsely telling him he would be released within several days, shackling him, brandishing weapons and threatening his life, he said. "

I would say invading a country amounts to "brandishing weapons" and "threatening life".
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NNN0LHI Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 05:50 AM
Response to Original message
31. It was so bad he escaped once and then put himself back into captivity



http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/topstories_story_125084747.html

Ex-Hostage On The Mend


Thomas Hamill Awaits Reunion With His Wife

LANDSTUHL, Germany (CBS) Thomas Hamill, the 43-year-old truck driver who escaped from his Iraqi militant captors over the weekend, was taken Monday to the U.S. military's Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for treatment and a reunion with his wife, Kellie, expected on Tuesday. snip


Hamill got a visit from celebrity governor Arnold Schwazenegger, who was in Germany visiting wounded soldiers at the base hospital.

The two met for about five minutes in a hospital room. Schwarzenegger said Hamill requested the meeting after learning that the governor was visiting wounded troops. snip


The door to Hamill's room was a piece of sheet metal propped up by a board. Hamill, of Macon, Miss., told soldiers he believed a single guard was nearby, but out of sight. snip


The Mississippi man told soldiers he'd been well treated by his captors, who gave him a rudimentary medical kit, a box of cookies and an oil lamp. snip


"He escaped one time about three days earlier and he was out in the middle of the desert. A helicopter came over and he tried to flag it down, but they evidently didn't see him," Higginbotham said. "They were taking fairly good care of him, so he went and put himself back in captivity without them knowing."


more



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PfcHammer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-09-04 06:18 AM
Response to Original message
32. tortured ? right. he got nilla wafers instead of oreos. shite !#%@
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