Abu Ghraib Under Saddam

[brewmama]

Not hearing much about this story?


..."Fadhly said that, after a year in hellish prisons and five months in Abu Ghraib, he was almost relieved when he heard he and the eight other merchants were going to be freed after having their hands amputated.

"We were the lucky ones," Al Fadhly said. "Others stayed in prison much longer. Thirty thousand in Abu Ghraib went to the hangman's noose."

Their trial lasted 30 minutes. Al Fadhly said all nine men believe they were scapegoated by Hussein because his economy was collapsing after the Persian Gulf War, and U.S. currency was anathema to him. Two weeks after the men lost their hands, they said, the law banning trade in foreign currency was thrown out.

Hussein had the nine hands brought to him, to be sure the sentence was carried out, said Farhad Taha, an attending physician at the amputations who was later interviewed by Al Fadhly, who now works for the media network.

Amnesty International estimates that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Iraqis had their hands amputated for similar crimes.

"Baghdad is Amputation City," North said. "Within a block you run into two to three people without a leg, or an arm, or an ear."...


http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5046676/

 

[Existential1]

Why do you choose to court controversy, and colour what is an informative piece, by saying:

Not hearing much about this story?

Surely, all that you do, in bringing in polemic, and the emotions of sustained partisan difference: is interfere with the appreciation of human experience, and human suffering.

Surely, if your genuine intention, is to make witness of this suffering, and to good effect: then all of your efforts would be bent, to not interefering with what presentation would best quarantee that; your own partisan position, would simply not be in evidence.

 

[JPPT1974]

It should prove that not all Americans are the bad guys in the Iraqis eyes.

 

[Starscream]

I suppose we should award all Americans involved with the abuse/torture at Abu Ghraib a big shiny medal inscribed, "Not as bad as Saddam".

 

[noob]

As for the statement "Not hearing much about this story?" I think it's not a huge story because everybody allready knows or assumes that horrible things were going on at Abu Ghraib. It's old news and has nothing to do with what happened there recently, except to people who want to make excuses for our own troops.

 

[brewmama]

Well, the new news of all the American pro bono work, and what Americans are known for, and the amputee victims meeting with the Pres. has nothing to do with making excuses for our own troops. It is not old news. and I don't believe that you already knew about it at the time the amputations occurred, did you?

 

[jameseb]

Not hearing much about this story?


..."Fadhly said that, after a year in hellish prisons and five months in Abu Ghraib, he was almost relieved when he heard he and the eight other merchants were going to be freed after having their hands amputated.

"We were the lucky ones," Al Fadhly said. "Others stayed in prison much longer. Thirty thousand in Abu Ghraib went to the hangman's noose."

Their trial lasted 30 minutes. Al Fadhly said all nine men believe they were scapegoated by Hussein because his economy was collapsing after the Persian Gulf War, and U.S. currency was anathema to him. Two weeks after the men lost their hands, they said, the law banning trade in foreign currency was thrown out.

Hussein had the nine hands brought to him, to be sure the sentence was carried out, said Farhad Taha, an attending physician at the amputations who was later interviewed by Al Fadhly, who now works for the media network.

Amnesty International estimates that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Iraqis had their hands amputated for similar crimes.

"Baghdad is Amputation City," North said. "Within a block you run into two to three people without a leg, or an arm, or an ear."...


http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5046676/

Yes, true.... funny you don't hear about such things.


Thanks for sharing this story. I just saw on the news recently that some of those prisoners freed that had their hands cut-off were brought over to the United States recently where doctors donated money and time to give them new prosthetic hands. It was a true blessing.



***You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to brewmama again.

 

[brewmama]

Why do you choose to court controversy, and colour what is an informative piece, by saying:


Surely, all that you do, in bringing in polemic, and the emotions of sustained partisan difference: is interfere with the appreciation of human experience, and human suffering.

Surely, if your genuine intention, is to make witness of this suffering, and to good effect: then all of your efforts would be bent, to not interefering with what presentation would best quarantee that; your own partisan position, would simply not be in evidence.

My dear, you are welcome to put me on ignore since anything I ever post is met by nothing but criticism by you on how I post it. No reaction to the post itself, just hostility toward me. For your information, I didn't see it on any of the headline news and had to find the link at Rush Limbaugh's site. So I made a comment about it, although that wasn't my original intent.

 

[ps139]

Why do you choose to court controversy, and colour what is an informative piece, by saying:


Surely, all that you do, in bringing in polemic, and the emotions of sustained partisan difference: is interfere with the appreciation of human experience, and human suffering.

Surely, if your genuine intention, is to make witness of this suffering, and to good effect: then all of your efforts would be bent, to not interefering with what presentation would best quarantee that; your own partisan position, would simply not be in evidence.

I dont think she is the one bringing in polemic.......look in the mirror.

 

[rahma]

I've heard these stories, years ago, as they happened. The US didn't seem to care then, and they're not really "the latest news" now.

 

[jameseb]

I've heard these stories, years ago, as they happened. The US didn't seem to care then, and they're not really "the latest news" now.

Considering they were just here in the United States being given new prosthetic hands by kind and loving American doctors, I'd say its very current news. As for the US not caring.... what do you mean, exactly? I've seen what goes on in these countries and I despise their crimes. There's outrage over everyone of thes autrocities. I don't understand your need to both castigate Americans and this thread.

P.S.

Might I add, why weren't you flying the Iraqi flag in support of that suffering prior to the war? Just curious since I assume it is to show your support for the Iraqi people.

 

[rahma]

Considering they were just here in the United States being given new prosthetic hands by kind and loving American doctors, I'd say its very current news. As for the US not caring.... what do you mean, exactly? I've seen what goes on in these countries and I despise their crimes. There's outrage over everyone of thes autrocities. I don't understand your need to both castigate Americans and this thread.

I'm not castigating anything. You appear to have some beef with everything I say. This really isn't news, it is history, and a very sad, sordid history at that. I did care about this when it actually did happen. The OP is implying that certain people do not care about this, when many of us actually did, when it was happening.

Might I add, why weren't you flying the Iraqi flag in support of that suffering prior to the war? Just curious since I assume it is to show your support for the Iraqi people.

Gee, I joined in January, so I wouldn't be here before the war. But if you knew me in real life, you would know I was an activist against Sadaam, against sanctions and for the Iraqi people long before the war.

 

[jameseb]

I'm not castigating anything. You appear to have some beef with everything I say. This really isn't news, it is history, and a very sad, sordid history at that. I did care about this when it actually did happen. The OP is implying that certain people do not care about this, when many of us actually did, when it was happening.

Actually, I have no 'beef with you' at all. However you were critical of the OP and at what you precieved as US dis-interest. If it was important enough for you to write, I hope it is okay that I can respond to it as well. Again, I don't recall anyone in the United States being apathetic towards the common Iraqi people under Saddam Husein.

Gee, I joined in January, so I wouldn't be here before the war. But if you knew me in real life, you would know I was an activist against Sadaam, against sanctions and for the Iraqi people long before the war.

Rahma, it was just a question out of curiousity. I get asked all the time about the flags I fly and find nothing wrong with their curiousity... no need to take offense to it.

 

[Andre3000]

Again, I don't recall anyone in the United States being apathetic towards the common Iraqi people under Saddam Husein

I wouldn't be so sure. Most Americans would not have been able to point to Iraq on a map before we went to war with them back in the early 90s. Unfortuantely, we don't care about places until we're at war with them.

Same thing goes for Afghanistan. We didn't care that the Taliban regime was blowing up priceless Buddhist statues and oppressing women until some Saudis flew planes into our buildings.

But back to the OP...hmmm I don't really have much to say about the OP. I disagree with how the people were treated in prison. I'm delighted to see American doctors help out. That about sums it up

 

[Western Deity]

I suppose we should award all Americans involved with the abuse/torture at Abu Ghraib a big shiny medal inscribed, "Not as bad as Saddam".

Most definitely.

 

[brewmama]

I've heard these stories, years ago, as they happened. The US didn't seem to care then, and they're not really "the latest news" now.

They are news in that they have been so benefited by Americans, and the things they have to say about America, which is positive. Why is only the negative or brutal aspect of this war the one that is "news"? Hmm?? It seems the mainstream press agrees with you, but then that's no surprise.

And how would the US have showed it cared back when it happened? Taken out Saddam then? Freed Iraq and started helping these people then? That would have made all of you happy? So...if Clinton had done what Bush has done (and w/o 9/11) then it would have been OK?