Iraqis Demand Release of Abu Ghraib Prisoners


May 5, 5:37 AM (ET)

ABU GHRAIB, Iraq (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iraqis marched on Wednesday outside the walls of the military jail in Iraq where U.S. soldiers photographed themselves abusing Iraqi prisoners, and demanded the release of jailed relatives.
Protesters carrying Iraqi flags and placards reading in English "You have given a bad impression of America and Christians," gathered at the Abu Ghraib prison, infamous for torture under deposed Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein.

Images released last week of U.S. troops abusing Iraqis in the jail have inflamed sentiment against the U.S.-led occupation of the country and left Washington scrambling to repair its image with Iraqis ahead of a formal handover of sovereignty.

Relatives of the nearly 4,000 Abu Ghraib prisoners who are among about 10,000 Iraqis held by occupying troops demanded they be set free immediately. Some said the images of soldiers forcing Iraqis to pose nude and simulate sex acts would draw retribution.

"They have taken five of my children. It's a crime," screamed one woman at a checkpoint outside the prison on the western outskirts of Baghdad, surrounded by blast barriers, razor wire and U.S. machine-gun posts atop the walls.

"These acts demand revenge and we hold you completely responsible," said a representative of the Association of Muslim Clerics, a Sunni Muslim group which has helped organize some of the protests which regularly demand the release of detainees.

The U.S. military, which has acknowledged at least two Iraqi detainees have been murdered by soldiers or contractors, has put a general who once ran its Guantanamo Bay prison camp in charge of reforming Iraq's military jails.

Quoted: Iraqis Demand Release of Abu Ghraib Prisoners May 5, 5:37 AM (ET) ABU GHRAIB, Iraq (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iraqis marched on Wednesday outside the walls of the military jail in Iraq where U.S. soldiers photographed themselves abusing Iraqi prisoners, and demanded the release of jailed relatives. Protesters carrying Iraqi flags and placards reading in English "You have given a bad impression of America and Christians," gathered at the Abu Ghraib prison, infamous for torture under deposed Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein. Images released last week of U.S. troops abusing Iraqis in the jail have inflamed sentiment against the U.S.-led occupation of the country and left Washington scrambling to repair its image with Iraqis ahead of a formal handover of sovereignty. Relatives of the nearly 4,000 Abu Ghraib prisoners who are among about 10,000 Iraqis held by occupying troops demanded they be set free immediately. Some said the images of soldiers forcing Iraqis to pose nude and simulate sex acts would draw retribution. "They have taken five of my children. It's a crime," screamed one woman at a checkpoint outside the prison on the western outskirts of Baghdad, surrounded by blast barriers, razor wire and U.S. machine-gun posts atop the walls. "These acts demand revenge and we hold you completely responsible," said a representative of the Association of Muslim Clerics, a Sunni Muslim group which has helped organize some of the protests which regularly demand the release of detainees. The U.S. military, which has acknowledged at least two Iraqi detainees have been murdered by soldiers or contractors, has put a general who once ran its Guantanamo Bay prison camp in charge of reforming Iraq's military jails.

Two observations:

One, that's about like the French demanding that we respect them.

Two, notice that THEY mention Christians, making one think that THEY see this as a Christian vs. Muslim thing.

Quoted: Two observations: One, that's about like the French demanding that we respect them.

Yeah screw all those damn Iraqis.  We should just nuke them all.  At least that's what I keep hearing on this board.

Two, notice that THEY mention Christians, making one think that THEY see this as a Christian vs. Muslim thing.

Well when the Christian Americans come to their muslim country and promise them freedom and safety...I think they have very good reason to point out that people with your attitude, the attitude of those abusing the prisoners, and the attitude of those who want to "nuke them all" are really no different than Saddam.

Quoted: Quoted: Two observations: One, that's about like the French demanding that we respect them. Yeah screw all those damn Iraqis.  We should just nuke them all.  At least that's what I keep hearing on this board. Two, notice that THEY mention Christians, making one think that THEY see this as a Christian vs. Muslim thing. Well when the Christian Americans come to their muslim country and promise them freedom and safety...I think they have very good reason to point out that people with your attitude, the attitude of those abusing the prisoners, and the attitude of those who want to "nuke them all" are really no different than Saddam.

My attitude?

Learn to read, boy.

Quoted: Quoted: Two observations: One, that's about like the French demanding that we respect them. Yeah screw all those damn Iraqis.  We should just nuke them all.  At least that's what I keep hearing on this board. Two, notice that THEY mention Christians, making one think that THEY see this as a Christian vs. Muslim thing. Well when the Christian Americans come to their muslim country and promise them freedom and safety...I think they have very good reason to point out that people with your attitude, the attitude of those abusing the prisoners, and the attitude of those who want to "nuke them all" are really no different than Saddam.

The only person in this thread so far that has used the phrase "nuke them all"  is you... (ok, and I guess I have too now )

Who ever said that it was only the Christian Americans that invaded their country? I see a lot of assumptions going on here and not a lot of facts.

I'm not dissagreeing with you about the attitude that some on this board have about "nuking them all", but I just fail to see how you are attribuiting that attitude to arowneragain, at least within the context of this thread.

Just because the Pentagon allowed:

a.  (S) Punching, slapping, and kicking of detainees; jumping on their naked feet; b.  (S) Videotaping and photographing naked male and female detainees; c.  (S) Forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing; d.  (S) Forcing detainees to remove their clothing and keeping them naked for several days at a time; e.  (S) Forcing naked male detainees to wear women’s underwear; f.   (S) Forcing groups of male detainees to masturbate themselves while being photographed and videotaped; g.  (S) Arranging naked male detainees in a pile and then jumping on them; h.  (S) Positioning a naked detainee on a MRE Box, with a sandbag on his head, and attaching wires to his fingers, toes, and penis to simulate electric torture; i.   (S) Writing “I am a Rapest”  (sic) on the leg of a detainee alleged to have forcibly raped a 15-year old fellow detainee, and then photographing him naked; j.   (S) Placing a dog chain or strap around a naked detainee’s neck and having a female Soldier pose for a picture; k.  (S) A male MP guard having sex with a female detainee; l.   (S) Using military working dogs (without muzzles) to intimidate and frighten detainees, and in at least one case biting and severely injuring a detainee; m. (S) Taking photographs of dead Iraqi detainees.

and

a.  (U) Breaking chemical lights and pouring the phosphoric liquid on detainees; b.  (U) Threatening detainees with a charged 9mm pistol; c.  (U) Pouring cold water on naked detainees; d.  (U) Beating detainees with a broom handle and a chair; e.  (U) Threatening male detainees with rape; f.   (U) Allowing a military police guard to stitch the wound of a detainee who was injured after being slammed against the wall in his cell; g.  (U) Sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light and perhaps a broom stick.

doesn't mean that they all get a "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

Surely, the people in Iraq have HBO and have seen Oz?