[Winona Online Democracy]
The special court martial Specialist Sivits received could not mete out
more than a year�s sentence. He also received a bad conduct discharge, which is
one step above a dishonorable discharge. His most serious charge was
maltreatment of detainees, but he wasn�t involved directly in the activities
others were; of course he was holding the camera. He will testify in the cases
of two sergeants and a specialist in their general courts martial (a more
serious venue than the special court martial that sentenced Sivits). I doubt whether his testimony will lead
much higher. He himself has said that he didn�t know the ultimate source of the
orders, which were merely �to soften up prisoners for interrogation.� There was
no indication of his having direct contact with a commissioned officer or CIA
agent in the incident. Any implication of higher officers or CIA agents or
civilian contractors (who may be exempt from punishment anyway) will have to be
the result of other investigations, I suspect, by both the FBI and the
Army.
World and Arab press have looked on the trial rather dimly, although it
was overshadowed by the deaths of Palestine civilians, including children, in
the Israeli tank and helicopter attack in the Gaza Strip and the US air strike
in western Iraq that resulted in the deaths of a least 40 members of a wedding
party, including children. The trial itself will receive more attention in time
(perhaps many are waiting for the results of investigations of the unexplained
deaths of 10 prisoners, but the current coverage in the Middle East certainly
revealed no praise. Among criticisms were the lack of any aggrieved party in
attendance, the short sentence for participation in rape, the rush to trial
itself, and the location in a small hall with public surroundings. A Lebanon
newspaper called it a �piece of theater.�
This prisoner torture is a mess that will hang over the United States for
a long time, although evidence of a genuine attempt to punish those
responsible will alleviate some bitterness. The fact that Saddam himself
tortured many people�a rationalization given by some commentators for
downplaying the affair�hardly can be used to pardon behavior of representatives
of a nation that was supposed to be a model of fairness. Although
evidence of guilt may not to go up to the level of the Secretary of
Defense, I cannot see how it can avoid touching at least two brigadier generals
and one major general and perhaps a high-ranking CIA official. Certainly,
superior officers cannot be let off the hook even if they were not aware of
details, and I would feel more comfortable if they received heavier punishment
than most of the enlisted people involved.
Roy Nasstrom
Winona
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