Torture house, mass graves discovered in Iraq
Coalition forces found 26 bodies buried in mass graves and a bloodstained “torture complex,” with chains hanging from walls and ceilings and a bed connected to an electrical system, the military said Wednesday.
[…]
The complex was in an area thought to be an al Qaeda in Iraq haven and operating base, the military said. Iraqis had told the military about the site during an earlier operation.
“Evidence of murder, torture and intimidation against local villagers was found throughout the area,” the military statement said. [complete article]
Editor’s Comment — The unfortunate but predictable effect of a report such as this is that it will empower those who want to argue that “their torture is worse than ours.” But the more important question is this: Have their torturers been empowered by ours? To imagine that Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Bagram, renditions and secret CIA prisons have had little impact on the outlook of America’s enemies (and friends) is both ignorant and naive.
Interesting; the report I read said the raiding party, after discovering the complex “went on to kill 24 militants in other parts of the complex.”
Twenty-four is a substantial number of fighters to take down, without leaving one or two alive for questioning. You’d think that, after the crap-shoot bounty captures that initially fed gitmo, Army Intelligence would LOVE to get their hands on someone who really has some information, if only about their contacts.
My theory is that a few of them were captured, and are even now en route, medics in attendance, to a convenient Red, White, And Blue Torture Facility to spill their guts.
Wonder why the Army didn’t mention this….