Pentagon faces PR disaster
AFP
March 09, 2005
MIAMI: US soldiers abused at least one wounded prisoner in Iraq and
showed disrespect to dead Iraqis, including civilians, according to a
video made public yesterday.
The 27-minute video, dubbed "Ramadi Madness", was made early last year
by members of the Florida National Guard stationed in the insurgent
hotspot and became part of the military investigation into alleged
abuses by US troops.
Last week the US military said it had decided not to bring charges
against the soldiers in the video because they had displayed
"inappropriate rather than criminal behaviour".
The video was not released at the time. But it was obtained by Florida
newspaper the Palm Beach Post and displayed on its website yesterday.
One of the scenes shows a wounded Iraqi detainee held at gunpoint by a
US soldier. The Iraqi moans in pain while the soldier looks at the
camera and says: "This (expletive) shot at me." He then proceeds to
kick him.
The video shows another captured Iraqi being treated for a head wound
while a voice off-screen tells him to "smile for the camera". In
another scene, the camera focuses on a line of detainees, their hands
tied behind their backs with plastic handcuffs, as an off-screen voice
says: "Bad guy, bad guy, bad guy."
The film also shows soldiers examining an abandoned truck. They
discover its Iraqi driver has been shot and killed. One of the
soldiers moves the driver's hand and says: "Hold on, I'm going to make
him say 'Hi'."
US troops are also shown driving through a village honking their horn
and shouting at Iraqis: "Get out of the way, we're trying to drive
here!"
Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties
Union, said the video highlighted the need for an independent special
counsel and congressional hearings to investigate the abuses.
"Pieces of the puzzle are still missing," Mr Romero said in a
statement. "An outside special counsel is the only way to ensure that
all civilians who violated, or conspired to violate the laws are held
responsible for their crimes."
AFP
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