Re: Iraq: Responses to Zimbardo

From: Nate (vygotsky@nateweb.info)
Date: Tue May 11 2004 - 03:51:36 PDT


Yet, the articles strength, at least for me, is bringing out why the
pictures and videos.

There was an assumption of approval - torture for the benefin of the
Americans and Brits? not Muslims and / or the prisoners. I think this
is very important because more than one has said to me that they can
understand the torture, but why the pictures. This is important because
it addresses the "bad apples" issue. If it was an issue of bad apples
there would be no need for pictures and videos, but if it was a larger
"culture" of approval the videos and pictures would make sense.

It it also important that the guy was on leave from a prison in the
states where he practiced humiliating behavior. For example, putting a
razor blade in a prisoner's food.

I was actually surprized at all the shock. What did everyone think we
were doing there anyway. One of the first things Bush did after 911 was
get rid of contraints for practices such as this. Rumsfeld continually
made the American Exception argument to the Geneva convention. Honestly,
I think most people were more offended by the photos than the acts. An
understanding of the "necessity" of such tactics, but not understanding
why they had to be photographed and taped.

Nate



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