They are playing the Iraq abuse video's all over British tv

Brummie, they're playing them here in the states, too. I'm heart sick about it all, and angry. The USA purports to be morally above this sort of thing, at least, their leaders try to run that game on the rest of the world, yet, this shows the lie to that image. There are NO excuses for this behavior, by anyone, and I'm sickened by the whole thing.

Terri

Brummie

No there are no excuses, but it is the same gang in the photo's and video all the time, shame that such a small gang can shame the USA, anyone blaming the whole of the USA army for this has a hate agenda.

You can even buy the tshirts now http://www.tshirthell.com/hell.shtml sick

Brummie

ThiChi

I find this article very apropos...

Press can't let abuse story go

By Jennifer Harper
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 21, 2004

Accounts and graphic photos of Iraqi prisoner abuse persist in the press despite the fact that the story has run its course.
The world already knows salient details of the prisoner humiliation and nudity, the causes of the abuse are under official investigation, and the courts-martial have begun. Yet, the caterwaul in the press against the American military and the war in Iraq continue.
"U.S. faces growing fear of failure," noted one recent Washington Post headline.
ABC was the first to air yet another set of photos -- these showing two U.S. soldiers grinning next to the body of an Iraqi at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad. Al Arabiya, an Arabic broadcaster, also aired the photos of Army Spc. Charles A. Graner and Spc. Sabrina D. Harman -- both facing a court-martial for prisoner abuse.
As usual, the source of the photos remained unidentified. ABC billed them as "an exclusive" and noted that the soldiers were "posing over the body of a detainee who was allegedly beaten to death by CIA or civilian interrogators in the prison's showers."
Positive human-interest accounts about the armed forces are rare. The press tends to ignore battlefield vignettes from military news services, which could offer an expanded perspective to the public.
For example, 30 U.S. airmen and soldiers delivered school supplies and toys -- gifts from American children -- to an Iraqi village on Monday. Yesterday, Air Force medical teams airlifted a critically ill Iraqi infant and her mother to an Ohio hospital for treatment.
The news focus is elsewhere.
Earlier this week, Reuters news service announced that three of its "journalists" -- actually two Iraqi cameramen and a driver under contract -- had been beaten and taunted by Army paratroopers in January.
But an Army investigation released yesterday cleared the soldiers of charges and categorized the incident as "a closed case."
The report noted that "the soldiers clearly believed that these same Iraqis had attacked them previously" and pronounced that the charges of humiliation made by the Iraqis against the soldiers "are not credible."
Tim Graham of the Media Research Center (MRC) noted yesterday that the "gay marriage story" overtook the prisoner abuse story in the press, but only for a day.
"This abuse story is just not going away. It's still the first topic on most network news," Mr. Graham said. "And there's strong focus on the court-martials, on the bad apples -- it's as if those troops represent the military at large, as far as the media is concerned. That is very discouraging."
The center has been following "the bias problem" among broadcasters who use the abuse story to build a case against the war in Iraq and the Bush administration. As a sample, the group tracked abuse stories from April 29 through May 11 on NBC and found that the network aired 58 stories on the abuse in that period.
The MRC also found, however, that in the past year, NBC had aired only five stories on mass graves found in Iraq from the Saddam Hussein era.
?Contact Jennifer Harper at jharper@washingtontimes.com or 202/636-3085.

Simon

I think the reason the press are reporting it is simply because it is such an important story:

It could spell the end of Rumsfeld and maybe Bush, especially if the abuse was directed from above.

It seriously impacts the already slim chances of a successful handover in Iraq

It affects US foreign affairs and could lead to terrorism both in the USA and abroad

etc.

That is why it is newsworthy.

roybatty

I think the reason the press are reporting it is simply because it is such an important story:
It could spell the end of Rumsfeld and maybe Bush, especially if the abuse was directed from above.
It seriously impacts the already slim chances of a successful handover in Iraq
It affects US foreign affairs and could lead to terrorism both in the USA and abroad
etc.
That is why it is newsworthy.

Maybe that's partialy true but it's not the main reason. It's still the top story because people love hearing and seeing other people get into trouble (whether it's the President or a soldier). Like they say in the news industry "if it bleeds, it leads." The general public can make claims about wanting more upbeating stories...blah..blah..blah..but the truth of the matter is that people are dying to see more Iraqi prisoner about photos and videos. Why do you think reality shows like "COPS" is so popular? Because people love seeing other people get in trouble. When was the last time you saw a show called "SOCIAL WORKERS"? lol. What's the ol' saying "misery loves company". It was the same thing with Clinton and Monica Lewinski. People just loved seeing this powerful man get in trouble.

ThiChi

""Positive human-interest accounts about the armed forces are rare. The press tends to ignore battlefield vignettes from military news services, which could offer an expanded perspective to the public.
For example, 30 U.S. airmen and soldiers delivered school supplies and toys -- gifts from American children -- to an Iraqi village on Monday. Yesterday, Air Force medical teams airlifted a critically ill Iraqi infant and her mother to an Ohio hospital for treatment. ""

I wonder why some just can't deal with positive news?

Sunnygal41

Brummie said:

shame that such a small gang can shame the USA, anyone blaming the whole of the USA army for this has a hate agenda.

I hope that is not how you took what I said, Brummie?

Terri

Englishman

No there are no excuses, but it is the same gang in the photo's and video all the time, shame that such a small gang can shame the USA, anyone blaming the whole of the USA army for this has a hate agenda.

Brummie,

It would probably have been less newsworthy had there not been a woman in so many of the pics.

I agree that you can't judge the whole US military system on these events.

Englishman.

Yerusalyim

Brummie, they're playing them here in the states, too. I'm heart sick about it all, and angry. The USA purports to be morally above this sort of thing, at least, their leaders try to run that game on the rest of the world, yet, this shows the lie to that image. There are NO excuses for this behavior, by anyone, and I'm sickened by the whole thing

Sunny,

The impression from this soldier is that you do indeed seem to think this is the rule for the military rather than the great exception.

They are playing the Iraq abuse video's all over British tv

Share this