by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright May 1, 2004
All Rights Reserved.

eversing roles with Saddam's henchmen, six U.S. soldiers face courts-martial for sadistically abusing Iraqi inmates at Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison, where prisoners were routinely tortured and executed. Stanford's legendary psychology professor Phillip Zimbardo proved in 1971 what happens when prisoners and guards swap roles: Beaten down inmates become forceful taskmasters and macho jailers have neurotic breakdowns. When pictures were aired on CBS' “Sixty-Minutes II” showing gleeful guards molding nude prisoners into human pyramids, U.S. authorities finally took notice. In a shocking photo, a hooded Iraqi prisoner stands on a box wired with electrodes, told he would electrocute if he slipped. In reality, he wasn't wired to any power source. Abu Ghraib's U.S. warden, Brigadier General Janice Karpinsky, was relieved of her duties, pending an ongoing investigation.

     Col. Jill Morgenthaler, a military spokeswoman in Baghdad, promised Karpinsky would be thoroughly investigated, though cautioned she “might be determined blameless.” “Their treatment does not reflect the nature of the American people. That's not the way we do things in America. I didn't like that one bit,” said Bush, embarrassed by the jailhouse revelations. He forgets about NYPD cop Justin Volpe who savagely beat and sodomized prisoner Abner Louima with a toilet plunger in a Brooklyn police station. Americans aren't immune to mental breakdowns and criminal behavior. Under enough stress, anyone can violate personal ethics and commit atrocious acts. Studying Nazi atrocities, Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram proved in 1961 you can turn free thinkers into obedient tyrants. Combat duty has a way of pushing well-adjusted people to commit irrational acts.

     Exactly one year since President Bush declared an end to formal combat operations, April became Iraq's bloodiest month, since Cruise missiles and smart bombs rained down on Baghdad March 20, 2003. One-hundred-and-twenty-nine U.S. solidiers went to their graves, raising doubts about the Iraq policy. With Iraqi sovereignty scheduled for June 30, the escalating violence promises more death and anarchy. Promising to finish the job in Iraq, Bush remained unfazed about a growing insurgency, insisting it's confined to isolated pockets. “We will finish our work,” said Bush, the same empty promises made during Vietnam. Like Vietnam, Bush has now broadened the U.S. mission, claiming that democratizing Iraq is essential to winning the global war on terror. Bush's rhetoric sounds more like President Lyndon Baines Johnson promising to hold the line against communism.

     Embarrassing incidents like the one at Abu Ghraib prison indicates gaping holes in the miltiary's command-and-control. Prison warden Brigadier General Janice Karpinsky was not accountable to her commanding officer, allowing egregious abuses of Iraqi prisoners—and God knows what else. War is messy business. Just ask the family of 27-year-old former NFL safety Pat Tillman—who just lost his life in Afghanistan—the risks of combat duty. Tillman's death was no more or less tragic than the hundreds of combat deaths showcased on ABC's “NightLine” with ex-Vietnam War correspondent Ted Koppel. Creating a hullabaloo in political circles, Bush's supporters view Koppel as playing dirty pool in an election year. Suspending all photos of U.S. war dead in flag-draped caskets, the Pentagon wants to keep unsightly images off TV. Koppel's move reminds his audience that “war is hell.”

     Democratizing Iraq isn't enough to justify the continued loss of American lives. Bush reminds prospective voters that there's more at stake than building schools and power plants. He sees Iraq as a historic battle of good against evil. Even without weapons of mass destruction, Bush regards Iraq as the “central front” in the war on terror, talking more about Saddam's intent than dangerous weapons. “The stakes for our country and the world are high. The failure of Iraqi democracy would embolden terrorists around the globe, increase dangers to the American people, and extinguish the hopes of millions in the Middle East,” said Bush, painting an apocalyptic view of ceding control to the U.N. and NATO. Bush's own CIA and other foreign intelligence services haven't made a real connection between Iraq and global terrorism, or, for that matter, Sept. 11.

     Shameful revelations at Saddam's Abu Ghraib prison gives a hidden X-ray into the kind of chaos inside Iraq. Blaming misdeeds on soldiers' ignorance of the Geneva Convention denies the findings of Drs. Milgram and Zimbardo, proving that sadism isn't confined to America's enemies. Obedience to authority still plays a role in unspeakable acts. Johnnie Cochran made a living proving that abuse was far too common in big-city police departments. With terrorism rampant and the U.S. military fighting a bloody guerrilla war, Iraq remains a pressure cooker, causing erratic behavior among the most disciplined troops. When U.S. POWs were subjected to unimaginable torture and brainwashing in Korea, it opened the world's eyes. Watching the same antics in Iraq gives reason for pause. Before it's too late, Bush needs an exit strategy not another battlefield.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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