IN THE NEWS
The revelations about the chain of decisions leading to the Abu Ghraib horrors continues. Today's Wall Street Journal (subscription required) contains information about a 100-page analysis, drafted by the Defense Department's Office of General Counsel, that outlines the legal avenues through which the Pentagon could drive the torture of prisoners without facing prosecution. Phillip Carter has a compelling analysis of how this document differs from previously-released documentation about "forceful" interrogations. It's not that the Pentagon is trying to wriggle out of the definition of torture; as Carter argues, "It is, quite literally, a cookbook approach for illegal government conduct."
Meanwhile, if you read this piece by Allesandro Camon on torture, religion, pornography, and "the clash of civilizations," I think you'll get a good understanding how people outside the United States--particularly Iraqis--see this sad affair. Camon's very sharp analysis cuts right to the heart of the matter: Rumsfeld was right to be outraged by the photos, but he had all the wrong reasons.
Camon cites an article by Mark Bowden, author of Blackhawk Down, from last October's Atlantic Monthly that's definitely worth reading again in light of current events.
Comments