So now you know. Thanks to
prime-time television, you, the American people,
understand that war is horrible. The mystery is why you
didn't know before, why you are outraged now. Perhaps
the answer is, if it's not on TV, it's not happening.
So, credit to CBS's 60 Minutes II for
finally showing part of the truth - that Iraqi prisoners in
Abu Ghraib prison have been undergoing the horrors of
war at American hands. No credit to the US media for
pulling the wool over your eyes about this war for so
long. No credit to you for being appalled now - you
should have known that this is what happens in any war,
no matter whose side God is on.
Don't you
remember the stark images in Life magazine of US
soldiers torturing suspected communists during the
Vietnam War? Have you forgotten about the My Lai
massacre? Did you think the Disasters of War, as depicted
by Spanish artist Francisco de Goya in 1810-11 (click here
)
were things that only other countries perpetrated, in
other times?
Did you think American wars are
more civilized, more humane? Well, of course you did.
Your president and your media, after the nonsense about
weapons of mass destruction had been swept under the
carpet, sold you this war as ridding the world of the
brutal, bloodthirsty tyrant Saddam Hussein; as bringing
the forces of humanity, civilization and enlightenment
to a people living in darkness. And you believed that
war could achieve this. Now, shocked, you are seeing
images that show that the brutal, bloodthirsty tyrant's
boot fits some American feet as well. Sorry, but war
is dehumanizing.
Your
president thunders that prisoner abuse "is not the
American way". Maybe he really thinks so - he never saw
service in Vietnam, or any other war, after all. Maybe
his advisers just didn't tell him what really goes on in
war. But to all but the simple-minded and the
rose-bespectacled, this is not
only the American way of war, it is the way of all sides
in all wars.
The US media tell us this morning:
"General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, told US news channels that those responsible
[for the horrors of Abu Ghraib prison] would be
brought to justice and that the 'chain of command' would
be investigated, as well as the six junior soldiers
who face court-martial proceedings." Splendid. There is no doubt,
however, that the "chain of command" investigation
will not go all the way to
the end of the chain. Underlings will take the fall in the
US leaders' efforts to show that apart from a few
misguided individuals, American soldiers are enlightened and humane killing,
raping and torturing machines. An oxymoron?
You bet. But you don't win wars
by being gentle.
The underlings who will be
punished are soldiers who were dragged along by the dogs
of war. If you are shocked and appalled by what they
did, it is those who let the dogs out who should be
investigated. They have only one question to answer, and
it is not "Did you order the maltreatment of Iraqi
prisoners?" The question is, "Is this a just, necessary
war?" If it is a just war, you may swallow your horror,
because this is how wars are waged.
Sometimes war is
unavoidable. Just don't be naive about it. Sorry to say, the
grim reality is a whole lot worse than what you have
recently seen on the "stupid box".
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May 4, 2004
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EDITORIAL
in 1810-11 (
rose-bespectacled, this is not
only the American way of war, it is the way of all sides
in all wars. 
