Riots Don’t Just Happen

The word "abuse" can have different definitions for different people.  Maybe an individual defines abuse to be as simple as ignoring someone, while someone else thinks abuse starts when someone hits you with a closed fist. Couple that with procedures on how to define prison abuse for inmates and you have a very complex situation. The moral question of what constitutes human dignity comes into play, as does the law of the land and its cultural understanding of human nature.

The United States has ultimately been a nation that seeks to define justice according to Christian norms. Past documents reveal a tendency toward embracing a just war philosophy and promoting the idea that life is sacred. Other nations have had similar ideals and cooperation between countries to ensure that prisoners of war were treated humanely progressed. This is a noble endeavor and one that must be discussed each generation to prevent human nature’s collapse into the abyss of utilitarian methods of handling situations that involve human beings.

We have all heard about the abuses at Abu Ghraib and are aware of the pictures that were circulated across the globe. But even the food the prisoners were eating was unsanitary and contained bug and animal parts. The fact that they were not fed enough food is not common knowledge. Blame for what went on in Abu Ghraib must not be contained to just the Military Intelligence agencies, but also to American leaders and private corporations, such as: Titan, CACI, and American Service Center(the food provider).

The point is this: There was not just one reason for the riot at Abu Ghraib prison in 2003. Although, the food alone would inspire anyone to to protest. ESPECIALLY, if a prisoner knew that in another cell, his wife and children were eating the same ingredients, which ASC dared to refer to as actual food for people. Other reasons are also obvious: inhumane treatment consisting of forced nakedness, beatings, prolonged periods of standing, loud noise, and hanging them in awkward positions. 

How the soldiers’ minds let this happen is not a new question. Man has always struggled with his “other side”. So at the end of the prison riot, the soldiers escalated their degrading behavior toward the prisoners. Beatings, dragging naked prisoners and putting them in sexual positions awarded Cpl Charles Graner a commendation. Those that did complain about the abuses to their superiors were basically told to ignore it. The beatings may have killed one Iraqi man and seriously injured others. It happened, it is still happening, and man will continue to defile himself and others under certain conditions unless he fights the war within himself.