The Full Rant (sorry, it's long)

(read previous posts for context...)

In response to an inquiry by Martha Irvine, AP reporter:

I was happy to see your inquiry, as I've been quite consumed by the deluge of news, photos and commentary regarding the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. First of all, yes, it is absolutely something my friends and colleagues (all 20-somethings) are concerned about. Perhaps it's more prevalent in San Francisco - a city that at times can be blindly liberal to the point of being dogmatic, but regardless, for the acute mind, it's a city that constantly begs the questioning of leadership and the evaluation of important issues.

I then sent her the following excerpt from blog entry drafted May 7, 2004:

The treadmills at my gym have little individual TVs. During a thoroughly exhausting work out, I saw for the first time the pictures of the Iraqi prisons and the torture and abuse that's going on. It wasn't the first I've heard or read about it -- just the first time I've seen it on tv, and it makes me sad, angry, and ashamed on behalf of our leaders and the things they have said in order to justify what has happened.

I read Baghdad Burning this morning - a site run by a woman roughly my age who lives in Baghdad. She has strong anti-American, anti-occupationist sentiments, and I find her site both engaging and informative. If nothing else, by presenting her beliefs so strongly, regardless of whether or not I agree, she compels me to ask certain questions. Anyway, today she wrote:

So are the atrocities being committed in Abu Ghraib really not characteristic of the American army? What about the atrocities committed by Americans in Guantanamo? And Afghanistan? I won't bother bringing up the sordid past, let's just focus on the present. It seems that torture and humiliation are common techniques used in countries blessed with the American presence. The most pathetic excuse I heard so far was that the American troops weren't taught the fundamentals of human rights mentioned in the Geneva Convention... Right- morals, values and compassion have to be taught.

The whole situation in Abu Ghraib and in any place of military conflict brings to light the importance of transparency. I think River Bend misses the mark when she contests whether or not American troops were ever taught the fundamentals of human rights. Historically speaking, the environment of war itself breeds the suspension of morals and fosters a culture of brutality. Average people think and act in ways that would seem incomprehensible under different circumstances. This doesn't excuse those soldiers directly involved -- far from it. In the last several decades, international law has been specifically tailored to reinforce the idea that moral accountability always has to be first and foremost, even under the most dire circumstances. That is why it is the very role of organizations like the International Red Cross to ensure that a voice of reason and humanity prevails, even when conflict situations blurs and clouds judgment. In a way, it seems to me, that part of their job is to save people from themselves. As such (and to finally get back to my point... I think there's one in here) that's what is so reprehensible about how things have unfolded. We had specific mechanisms in place to ensure transparency, to guarantee that there was a voice of reason and that that voice would be heard. By failing to act (or acting so slow it was almost irrelevant) our administration has failed on a very basic humanitarian level... And that is why I'm sad, ashamed, and disappointed.

And a couple follow-up questions: Do you think this is the biggest Iraq-related story to catch the attention of you and your peers? If so, why? Also, do you sense that the story is causing more to oppose the war? I realize you're in SF, where there's already anti-war sentiment ... but just wondered if you sensed that this was turning the tide among even some of those who were on the fence, or who supported the war.

I'm rarely known for answering a question in one sentence when I could do it ten, but if you'll permit, here's my thoughts on your follow up questions:

I think in a way it is the biggest Iraq-related story to catch attention for the simple reason that this is one we can't pass off as "oh that a**hole Bush" (pardon the expression). It's the first time we can't just point a finger at a leader and say "you did this wrong" and instead have to say "we're doing this wrong." The people in the videos shown abusing Iraqi prisoners ARE me, or at least, not as distinguishable from me as some idiot who managed to weasel his way into the white house. I'm editorializing not necessarily to establish a political view, but rather to demonstrate how on a very gut level I reacted differently to the recent news versus more "military" casualties or other politically-motivated news items. It's also the biggest story because I think we're desensitized to "standard" or expected casualties. As the blog entry indicated (and I didn't think about the reason why at the time), I clearly had a different reaction to [seeing the pictures on tv], versus hearing or reading about the news. It makes sense historically if you consider the polarizing effect of broadcast media during Vietnam... Maybe today it just takes more to shock us.

I can't really answer whether or not I think this is causing more people to oppose the war. Quite honestly, I don't think I personally know anyone in my age bracket who was or is for it in the first place (in SF or otherwise), at least not without an entire list of qualifiers and disclaimers. I know people who abstained from having an opinion because they don't understand the broader political and cultural contexts for going to war, and I think those are the ones that are being "tipped" as a result of the recent news. From what I can glean, and speaking from my own personal feelings on the matter - the big problem was never deciding whether or not removing Saddam Hussein from power was a worthy objective - on a political and humanitarian level. I think the general population is ready and willing to accept that he was a despot and his reign was a threat not just to the people of Iraq, but also to the global population. These are assertions that anyone with the ability to read the Sunday Times could have come to, without rally cries of "the war on terror" that touched a nerve at the very heart of Americans' sense of infallibility and indestructibility. It was the politicizing and propagandizing that made it all seem dirty, made Americans look hypocritical and above all arrogant, all the while instilling a pervasive sense of distrust that undermined a previously unmatched level of patriotism and solidarity among the American population.

"I'm Proud to be an American" was bound to be a one-hit-wonder no matter what (it is, after all, a terrible song), but nothing assured its demise more than the administration's actions leading up to and throughout the invasion of Iraq.

Comments

[Patrick J. DeGeorge]

Ms. McAuly,
I saw a write up including you in stars and stripes and then decided to look for your site. I hope that what a few people decided to do in Abu Graib does not lead you to think that all American Soldiers are that way. I can tell you for a fact that I for one am not like that. Please drop me a line so we can discuss this in more detail. I would like to know your full views. Thank you for your time.
Spc Patrick J. DeGeorge
Illinois Army National Guard (Iraq)

[sarah]

Hi Patrick,

Thank you so much for commenting. Please be assured that I am constantly aware and grateful that there are men and women like you who are putting their lives at risk because our country asked them to. Without being trite, I am not of the "few bad apples" mindset, and I am confident that the majority of soliders overseas are acting with dignity, humility, and above all, humanity. In fact, that is yet another reason why the events of the past few months are so upsetting - their actions do a broad disservice by tarnishing the honor of being a solider, and to a large extent, of being American. I wish you all the best, and thank you for taking the time to comment.

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