US torture of Iraqis "routine"

[TriSec]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5206908.stm">Torture of Iraqis routine

The torture of prisoners in US custody in Iraq was authorised and routine even after the Abu Ghraib scandal came to light, a US-based rights group says.

Soldiers' accounts show that detainees routinely faced severe beatings, sleep deprivation and other abuses for much of 2003-2005, Human Rights Watch says.

Soldiers who tried to complain about the abuse were rebuffed or ignored.

But a Pentagon spokesman said 12 reviews had found there was no policy condoning or encouraging abuse.

"The standard of treatment is and always has been humane treatment of detainees in custody," Lt Col Mark Ballesteros told Reuters news agency.

John Sifton, author of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, said the accounts given to the group by former US soldiers revealed the opposite.

"These accounts rebut US government claims that torture and abuse in Iraq was unauthorised and exceptional - on the contrary, it was condoned and commonly used," he said.

[fasttense]

1. This is why even in the Military

you have to carefully consider what those in power and in authority want you to do. You can not throw out your humanity and morals just because your government wants you to.

Each one of those soldiers who ignored the Geneva Convention is a war criminal, even if they were ordered to do it. The UCMJ clearly points out the One Order a soldier does Not have to follow is an Illegal Order.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Fine Christian nation..... go team. n/t

[maddezmom]

3. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2407705