Sunday, February 20, 2005
Prisoner Abuse, Revisited
Froggie Ruminations has been following the charges and proceedings related to the death of suspect in the bombing of the Baghdad Red Cross headquarters.
His most recent post on the subject, "Let my people go," points out that Jamadi was plenty feisty even as he was transferred to Abu Ghraib, and was "resisting his captors," according to court martial testimony. (Earlier testimony that the suspect was semiconscious seems to have been discredited since the witness appears to be unreliable).
Well, the fact that he was still resisting would explain the handy pummeling he received. And would also explain the restrictive position in which he was restrained. If true, then binding him in such a way does not necessarily indicate that it's a standard procedure. What's more likely is that the window bars in the shower room were handy, and more stable than the shower heads. And binding him like that is a reasonable, and I think preferable, alternative to beating on him some more. Which exposes both U.S. personnel and the prisoner to further injury.
But his resistance does not explain his being beaten to the point of death.
And it certainly does not explain the AP's lousy reporting and writing in this story.
It's got the SEALs howling, of course. But a man is dead. He was alive when we had him. He never received medical attention. He's not supposed to be dead. While these guys are authorized to use reasonable force to subdue a prisoner, once he's been subdued, killing him, or allowing him to die because of neglect, is a war crime, whether it's a SEAL who does it or a West Virginia reservist PFC.
And these guys know better.
Now, Froggy does leave open the possibility that the SEAL beating wasn't lethal, and if he was still resistant, maybe the CIA guys beat on him some more, after the SEALs left.
BUT...
The SEALs have already admitted beating Jamadi with their rifles, in sworn testimony.
This ain't a "witch hunt," people. It's the workings of a nation of laws. If you can't stand being investigated, then don't leave dead detainees in your wake. Not only did you kill the man (apparently), but you
I still don't see why SPC Grainger gets 10-years, though, and the SEALs, who apparently beat this guy to death go with non-judicial punishment.
Maybe they could be convicted of battery but not murder? Dunno.
Splash, out
Jason
His most recent post on the subject, "Let my people go," points out that Jamadi was plenty feisty even as he was transferred to Abu Ghraib, and was "resisting his captors," according to court martial testimony. (Earlier testimony that the suspect was semiconscious seems to have been discredited since the witness appears to be unreliable).
Well, the fact that he was still resisting would explain the handy pummeling he received. And would also explain the restrictive position in which he was restrained. If true, then binding him in such a way does not necessarily indicate that it's a standard procedure. What's more likely is that the window bars in the shower room were handy, and more stable than the shower heads. And binding him like that is a reasonable, and I think preferable, alternative to beating on him some more. Which exposes both U.S. personnel and the prisoner to further injury.
But his resistance does not explain his being beaten to the point of death.
And it certainly does not explain the AP's lousy reporting and writing in this story.
It's got the SEALs howling, of course. But a man is dead. He was alive when we had him. He never received medical attention. He's not supposed to be dead. While these guys are authorized to use reasonable force to subdue a prisoner, once he's been subdued, killing him, or allowing him to die because of neglect, is a war crime, whether it's a SEAL who does it or a West Virginia reservist PFC.
And these guys know better.
Now, Froggy does leave open the possibility that the SEAL beating wasn't lethal, and if he was still resistant, maybe the CIA guys beat on him some more, after the SEALs left.
BUT...
The SEALs have already admitted beating Jamadi with their rifles, in sworn testimony.
This ain't a "witch hunt," people. It's the workings of a nation of laws. If you can't stand being investigated, then don't leave dead detainees in your wake. Not only did you kill the man (apparently), but you
I still don't see why SPC Grainger gets 10-years, though, and the SEALs, who apparently beat this guy to death go with non-judicial punishment.
Maybe they could be convicted of battery but not murder? Dunno.
Splash, out
Jason
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