Re: Iraq: Responses to Zimbardo

From: eliza@pob.huji.ac.il
Date: Tue May 11 2004 - 04:49:13 PDT


In my oppinion the fact that these sadists 'proudly' photographed their 'works
of art', shows that everything they did was for one motive only: sadism. I'm
appalled to think that they are employed in the US civil prisons - that only
shows that US civil prisons resemble more medieval dongeons than modern
correction centers.

> 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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