| There is so much talk about the 'improper' techniques during the interrogations: what may and may not be used to get the information from the prisoners. Unlike so many 'professionals' in the media, I have never served in the Military and would not argue this point. But at the same time, I would not wish to see any restrictions being forced on the interrogators by the media, whose only course is more blood and suffering of the innocent, so they would get a story. Military has sufficient brain-power to manage their own responsibilities - the price of failing is too high: more dead soldiers, slaughtered innocent Iraqis, thousands of wounded...
The only thing that I would like to see noted, in this matter, is that all personnel who is involved in the interrogations are someone's sons or daughters, fathers, mothers, neighbors..., Americans. And as such, we have a responsibility to make sure that during their harsh military duties they do not fall victims to hatred. So when they come back home, and look at their loved ones, there will not be a sense of guilt or shame of what they had done... Such people will not make good parents or neighbors, sons or daughters. And we, as a society, have to protect our soldiers and us from what is a quite natural and not uncommon - evil within.
There has to be an almost overwhelming supervision and support of all personnel in the prisons (and not only in Iraq). They have to be reminded constantly of their responsibilities and the risks: both in failing to obtain so desperately needed information or going too far with the interrogations when signs aren't there. But the final decision on the methods to be used should be left to the military and supported by the government and our society, or the media and the terrorists will have plenty of blood on their hands and we will have plenty to cry about.
Soldiers need to be rotated constantly to give them a rest. So they could be reminded of the love and respect that we feel for them. So they may return to their duties with a sense of professional competence and renewed self-respect.
We need to realize: They do not guard children or innocent people. They guard the most vicious predators on this planet. |