COMMENTARY: Iraq, Picture Imperfect

Opinion piece, in audio and text, on the photographed torture of Iraqi detainees by American and British soldiers.

Back around the time I was nine years old, my grandmother gave me a book of classic photographs from Life magazine. One of the chapters was devoted to classic war photography, and one particular photo has haunted me to this day, tho I haven't seen it for at least twenty years now -- a photo of the head of a Japanese soldier who had been incinerated inside his tank, propped up atop the front end of his vehicle. The text for that entry explained that the skull had been placed in that position by American soldiers. However, no soldiers, Allied or Axis -- except for the misfortunate Japanese man -- could be seen in the photo. It was on this basis that a teacher at the school I attended at the time could convince me that the text was in error, and that American soldiers could never do such a thing.

Of course, this was not long after the massacre at My Lai shocked and disgusted the world, but then, what nine-year-old could comprehend anything related to that event, let alone that war?

Now we have soldiers from both the United States and the United Kingdom taking apparent glee and pride in the dehumanisation, and in the latest instances to be publicised, outright torture, of their Iraqi prisoners. This time, they are in the photographs. This time, there is no doubt as to who is responsible.

The uniforms are the calling cards. It is our collective name that is printed on them. And it is our address that is being noted.

The soldiers charged are claiming they were ordered to commit these acts. That may be so, but they also displayed considerable enthusiasm in execution of those orders. Those charged claim to have never been educated as to what the Geneva Convention was all about. It's also safe to assume they've never been shown THE ANDERSONVILLE TRIAL or JUDGMENT AT NUREMBURG. One does get the feeling, on the other hand, that THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE would be a frequent attraction on r&r.

It is in your name that these acts have been committed. It is in your name that these soldiers are even in that country. Is it too much to demand to know what you are going to do to fire those who act irresponsibly in your name, or are you just as irresponsible?

King Daevid MacKenzie, for IndyMedia Radio, from the American Heartland.