Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Scandal; What Went Wrong and Why June 2004"What you did to the least of my brothers you did to me." (Matthew 25:45) This teaching of Christ has helped create more humane societies throughout history, even in situations of war and injustice. But it has not always been lived, and the consequences can often be terrible. The recent news of the disrespect and abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers has shocked and disappointed many people. In this lesson we will look at the sources of this scandal especially the lack of personal moral courage leadership and the effect of a sexually promiscuous society. We will look at the negative consequences of the scandal, as well as the opportunity to face this problem with greater virtue. Red Cross Report Exposes the Abuse The International Commission of the Red Cross inspects prisons to check on whether prisoners are treated according to standards established by the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Conventions, signed in 1949 and updated in 1977, protect soldiers, civilians and prisoners from being mistreated. The Red Cross reported that at Abu Ghraib prison, some prisoners were subjected to "ill-treatments ranging from insults and humiliation to both physical and psychological coercion that in some cases might amount to torture." They were held naked in dark and empty cells. Some prisoners were photographed naked, chained together in humiliating positions. Other prisoners were severely beaten, and chained into "stress positions". Treatment like this is below the dignity that all human beings deserve as persons made in God's image and loved by him. This fact reminds us that even when we have to enforce justice we should respect the dignity of the person. Failure of Leadership Opens the Door to Abuse Major General Antonio Taguba, who was in charge of the investigation of the abuses at Abu Ghraib reports that the abuse stems in part from a complete lack of leadership and supervision, from the general in charge of the prison down to the commanders within the cell blocks. Prison commanders and other leaders have the responsibility to establish rules ensuring proper treatment of prisoners, and to then make sure the rules are followed. Christ tells Pontius Pilate that earthly authority comes from God, and yet we see what happened when the Roman leader did not have the moral courage to act with justice and responsibility. "It's not my fault." The soldiers accused of abuse also have personal responsibility, or accountability, for their own actions. We are responsible for any sinful action when we know what we are doing and choose to do it anyway. The guards were each trained in military law, which prohibits the abuse of prisoners. Some families and friends of the guards have tried to excuse their actions, saying that they were going through hard times in Iraq and were simply following orders. However, no matter how difficult the situation is, we are still always responsible in being accountable for our choices. One woman who survived torture in Guatemala and now lives in the United States reacted when she heard that some people were trying to make excuses for the guards: "Stop it! How can you say that? This is not an excuse. Can't (the soldier) say, 'No, I will not do this to this person'?" There is always a personal choice to be made, and personal consequences to be accepted. Fear The abuse was also allowed to occur due to a lack of moral courage in those abusing and supervising the prisoners. Courage isn't just overcoming our fears; it is also listening to our conscience and standing up for what we know is right. Individual soldiers and commanders knew the abuse was wrong, yet it wasn't until January that one soldier finally demonstrated the courage to stand up for his beliefs and inform military investigators about the abuse. Louder than words The United States has been working to win over the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, carefully avoiding unnecessary destruction and killing, because our goal is to liberate the people from Saddam Hussein's tyranny and to help Iraq establish a democracy. In trying to earn the trust of the Iraqi people, respect for human dignity speaks louder than force. Some might think that a quicker solution would be to use violence and force in order to make the people comply from fear, but it is worthless to reach the goal if you have stepped on people in order to get there. The end never justifies the means; you cannot say that cruelty and maltreatment are okay as long as they help us win the war. Even though strength is necessary to defend ourselves and others, we will only win the war for people's hearts if we play fair. Adding Fuel to the Fire of Terrorism Images of Americans abusing Arab prisoners inspire terrorists, and increase their dedication to their violent objectives. For the terrorists, it is the perfect propaganda to recruit new members. It makes them think that they are following a noble cause, because America, the enemy, is promoting evil and immorality. When they see the photographs of prisoners being sexually abused, they also see evil in the whole society of the soldiers, a society that promotes pornography and sexual immorality. If they see the United States as something evil, then the Muslims feel more confident that they are morally superior and have the duty to destroy us and reject all Western influence. Failings and growth The world is now watching America to see how we handle the scandal from the perspectives of pursuing justice and taking responsibility. Rather than only being a cause for shame, it can be an opportunity to live up to our position of moral leadership. Just as the sacrament of Confession gives us a chance to be honest with God about our sins, receive forgiveness, and also receive graces (spiritual power) to be an even better follower of Christ, so a moral fall gives our country the chance to spring back again, even higher than before. It is a moment to show what true justice is, and how a morally upright country responds to its own failures. A chance to show justice Justice is in part the assigning of rewards and punishments according to objective ethical standards and one's actions and motives. The military has already begun public courts-martial proceeding against some of the guards involved in the abuse. Many other investigations are being done, including public hearings in the Senate, to determine who knew about the abuse, and who may have contributed to the abuse including senior commanders and policymakers. After responsibility and punishments have been assigned, we will be able to judge for ourselves whether justice has been served. Leaders of nations against the US war in Iraq, such as Germany's Foreign Minister, have already complimented America on so openly and aggressively exposing its mistakes and pursuing justice. The world will also be watching to see whether the US military thoroughly addresses the mistakes and policies, or lack of policies, that led to the abuse. Unchastity and cruelty It is also time to look at American culture as a whole, and see that the promotion of pornography and the lack of sexual restraint lead to sexual humiliation and abuse. This creates a culture that fosters a lack of respect for the dignity of the human person. An unchaste society always becomes cruel. The self-mastery required for chastity frees people from the tyranny of their passions. When someone knows how to use his energy for good he can naturally control other disordered desires such as vengeance and power-abuse much better. Chastity and self-mastery also build up a great respect for other people and a creativeness in helping people live in the truth. Charity and strengthChrist taught us that justice should be tempered with charity, and that without mercy, justice can quickly become cruelty. Christ brought the new law of charity as the primary weapon against cruelty and hatred of others. On the cross Christ accepted the punishment that we deserved in order to free us from our sins. On the cross Christ teaches us that mercy must go beyond strict justice, and that love is stronger than evil and death. These virtues do not imply weakness. Christ tells us to use them wisely, acting "as innocent as doves and as cunning as serpents"(Matthew 10:16) so as to dodge the evil of men and yet remain confident in God and Christian values. It is a call to all Christians to be heroic in living this charity, with the confidence that one day, as in the ancient Roman empire, Christian charity will change the entire culture. |
Current Issues are Click Here to go back to Archives |