I just found an interesting article in the Guardian about US censorship of news concerning the prosecution of the Iraq war.
This, of course, is becoming more of an issue with the probable release of even more horrific pictures from the torture garden of Abu Ghraib.
Quite a few psychological studies have been done on the subject of how people can be brought to torture others. I think key in most (if not all) of these is permission/encouragement from figures of authority.
I am surprised that the US military is not prosecuting this more completely (and perhaps more openly) but I would warrant that this is because of the political ramifications to the Bush government (and their bid for reelection).
The unfortunate base truth is that these sort of things will most likely go on in every war. In fact, they are possibly necessary to the successful prosecution of some aspects of modern warfare. But it would seem that this wasn't a professional operation, run to break the spirit of professional terrorists but rather more a "Lord of the Flies" sort of thing--a bunch of young, ignorant American GIs operating under the color of authority.
What puzzles me is that Rummy and Co. thought they could keep it under wraps. There must be some overweaning arrogance at work..
Posted by artandscience at May 14, 2004 06:21 PM