Below, I wrote what a torture indictment for American generals/policy makers would look like in the International Court. I specifically am focusing on the incidents/actions at Abu Ghraib.
Count 1: Inhumane Acts: Large numbers of Iraqis were subjected to inhumane treatment, humiliation and degradation by American forces beating and assaulting them.
Alternatively, the accused knew or had reason to know that forces under his effective control were committing the acts described, or had done so, including as a result of having been so informed by representatives of the international community. The accused failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the commission of such acts or punish the perpetrators thereof.
Count 2: Murder: The accused knew or had reason to know that forces under his effective control were about to murder Iraqis at Abu Ghraib, or had done so. The accused failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the commission of such acts or punish the perpetrators thereof.
The thing is...other than me changing names and places, this is part of the indictment of Croatian General Ante Gotovina who is on trial in the Hague. Part of the charges are failing to stop his troops from committing these acts. Here is part of Gotovina's indictment.
- Between 4 August 1995 and 15 November 1995, large numbers of Krajina Serbs were subjected to inhumane treatment, humiliation and degradation by Croatian forces beating and assaulting them.
- Alternatively, the accused Ante GOTOVINA knew or had reason to know that forces under his effective control were committing the acts described in paragraphs 21 through 26 above, or had done so, including as a result of having been so informed by representatives of the international community. The accused Ante GOTOVINA failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the commission of such acts or punish the perpetrators thereof.
- Between 4 August 1995 and 15 November 1995, the accused Ante GOTOVINA knew or had reason to know that forces under his effective control were about to murder Krajina Serbs as described in paragraph 28 above, or had done so. The accused Ante GOTOVINA failed to take necessary and reasonable measures to prevent the commission of such acts or punish the perpetrators thereof.
Now, I am not defending Gotovina. If he knew what his troops were doing, he should be on trial. I am pointing to the overall hypocrisy that America has. We are so quick to point fingers at others and act like the moral police in the world. However, if we hold our own policy makers responsible as we do others', American generals/politicians would be on trial.
Those who agree with out torture, therefore, cannot be appalled by similar treatment of our forces bu our enemies. They have lost that privelege to do so. We need to hold our own politicians responsible. If we do so with how we hold other nations responsible, too many Americans to count will be on trial for war crimes.