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Iraqi Prisoner Abuse? - Page 9

I would expect this question from any member in this forum but not from you Nighthawk....come on! since when good news 'sell' in journalism?.

Abuse Prisoner Iraqi

I want to weigh in here on the media and this issue. Often I feel the media goes too far and isn't held accountable. For example the CNN reporter who made up the story about the "baby formula" factory. Arnette I think his name was? I believe CNN fired him, but he was immediately hired by another news media, I think the BBC. However, I also think there are many times when if it weren't for the media, certain things would be swept under the carpet and we would never know of them. Not only that, but they wouldn't be fully dealt with either.

In this case, I think the media has actually helped. The military has from the very beginning said this was isolated and the actions of a few rogue memberrs of the service. However, under the scrutiny of the media, it is beginning to look like this is not the case. While I don't believe President Bush sanctioned such behavior, it does look like the intelligence community did. If left to their own devices, I fully believe the military would punish those lower ranking members found involved and not fully hold accountable all who are responsible. Is this fair? I don't think so.

Also, since released prisoners have been making allegations of abuse upon their release, and since the Arab world doesn't trust or believe the US in any matter, it isn't their reporting of this that is the catalyst as much as Al Jazeera which would have reported this based solely upon the testimonies of the released prisoners anyway.

Now, I do think Al Jazeera goes too far and I question if they haven't been involved directly in some of the incidents that have taken place and should be somehow held accountable for any inappropriate behavior they have engaged in in the name of getting the story, but I don't think simply reporting the incident is a treasonous act. If they had foreknowledge of an upcoming military manuever and reported it, this, too me should be severely punished, but reporting something that has already taken place, to me is what the media should be doing.

This, is of course, just my opinion....

Iraqi Prisoner Abuse? History & Civil Business Politics

Good news might not "sell" in journalism, but that doesn't make it right. During WWII, the media told about our heroes. I just think that the fact that none of the alphabet soup have reported on ANY of the heroes, including the fact that there is a CMH pending, but have dwelt forever on Abu Ghraib, shows their bias. Balanced means showing the whole picture.

Al Jazeera is obviously incredibly biased, but the alphabet soup frequently quotes Al Jazeera and other Arab media sources as being reliable, but when quoting from official US sources usually qualifies the quotes in some way. ("It is reported...." or "US officials claim....")

Are some of the other reports of abuse, from people coming out of the prisons, made up in response to the knowledge that they will get full airing? Has any of the media checked into this possibility? It is convenient for the alphabet soup, the European media, and the Arab media, that AFTER Abu Ghraib became public knowledge, lots of recently released Iraqi prisoners started claiming abuse.

Not saying it didn't happen. Just pointing out that it is very convenient for those trying to make it appear that everything the US does is bad.

Page 9 Abuse Prisoner Iraqi

I have said all along, that as bad as the abuses were by the US soldiers at Abu Ghraib, they were nothing compared to what else is going on. Some have even claimed that it isn't really journalistic bias that has made Abu Ghraib the entire focus of the news for almost two full months.

But this shows just how much the news media is interested in what the war is all about.
This article gives a real picture of what Abu Ghraib was REALLY all about. (Be warned, this is extremely graphic.)

This is a very minor representation of what life under Saddam was about.

Abuse Prisoner Iraqi

Nighthawk, with all respect , let me tell you that even though I understand your views about all this propaganda as you refer to about the Iraqi prisoner's abuse, your comments sound like if you indirectly and maybe no-intentional, are trying to justify or suggest that what happened in that prison was not a 'big deal' and I think is wrong. I personally think the US and yes, their citizens should stay quiet respect to this matter, because it was proven that the behavior of those US soldiers in that particular prison was totally unacceptable, so even though I know you condemn what they did (because you have said it before) saying over and over that is all a propaganda media and stuff is to put down the reality of the facts that were shown to us and that forced the US President to apologized. This is not something the media invented.
So in my humble opinion, the US should stay very quiet in this matter, say otherwise should proof that they don't think there was something wrong going on there , and that those victims of abuse and their families are not being taking into consideration and I think it is very sad. Now, don't take me wrong, I understand your point and agree to a certain extent, but the reality is that if those US soldiers were doing their job as they were supposed to do and not wasting their time, money and resources and spending their time abusing people, then NOTHING of this would be happening and the Media should have nothing to say about it. So let's look at home and actions first before throwing stones freely.

Iraqi Prisoner Abuse?

Why should we stay quiet? I don't understand.

The fact is that the US soldiers ABUSED prisoners. They will be punished. The alphabet soup media, including much of the international media, is trying to make it into a condemnation of ALL US activities there. They are holding a strong double standard. They spent over 6 full weeks focusing on ONLY Abu Ghraib, and ignored everything else, including all of the evidence that is coming forth of the horrendous activities of the old Iraqi regime.

I will NOT be silent on this. We have saved thousands and thousands of lives, and the Islamist fascists are getting more and more desperate. But the alphabet soup keeps giving aid and comfort to those enemies, by refusing to even attempt to be balanced.

There are already some convictions of the soldiers responsible. It is time to get over the abuse - not torture to death, of a few prisoners, and do something for those who are still alive. Which we are doing.

The point is that NOBODY in the international community appears to care that Saddam Hussein and his people were torturing people to death, hundreds per day. After all, it was Iraqi people being murdered by Iraqi thugs, so we should have all kept our noses out of it. Well, I don't agree with that. It was German citizens being murdered by the millions in 1944, by German thugs, dressed up as soldiers, and we all rightly accepted responsibility to see that it didn't happen again. Yes, there are problems. Yes, there are loose cannons. But we live in a nation and culture that respects the rule of law, and that rule of law will deal with those responsible for the excesses and abuses.

When will I see anyone other than the very conservative US citizens stand up and say that Hussein was not only WRONG, but that we were right to stop him? It appears that the compassion of the world is reserved only for the thugs and criminals, not for the innocent victims of true oppression.

I offered the information I did to show the difference between the abuse done by criminal American soldiers, and the torture committed by the "legitimate" Iraqi government of a little over a year ago. The media certainly won't tell you any of it. But then, it appears that most of the world doesn't care. If it isn't done by Americans, it isn't abuse.

Iraqi Prisoner Abuse - Page 9

Nighthawk, first of all, what I mean by 'stay quiet' on this matter I don't mean to not say anything, what I mean is that I personally think they should just say as it was said before 'It was abuse and the guilty parties will be punished' that's all. What the media does or not it doesn't matter because really the media handles information in the same way in almost all areas, of course it does not make it right but saying they are going over and over about it it and so on may sound as 'well, let's move on. Was not a big deal after all'. That's the impression people gets, that's the impression I get.
Your impression about the International view about Saddam is all a matter of opinion. I can only share my view and say that Saddam is not only a monster but that he has done things that could cause him more than one death penalty sentence. He needed to be stopped, he needed to be removed, the Iraqi people deserve better, I agree with you in ALL those points, just because we don't agree in the way it was handled it, it doesn't mean we don't see what kind of guy Saddam Hussein is and just because some of us do not support that war, it does not mean we are supporting him. Those are just Pres. Bush's opinions and statements when he said 'You are with us or with the terrorists' , I do hope he was talking to his own people and not me particularly because I personally disagree with that, he has all the right to give his opinion (which it sounds more like a threat to me). I understand his point though, but it makes me very mad when those who do not support this war are seen as 'supporters of terrorism'. This is non-sense!.

Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Politics Business Civil & History - Page 9

Snippets from an article of interest: