American vs. Iraqi Controlled Prisons

Allegations of U.S. abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison dominated the headlines throughout 2004. In 2003, the reprehensible Americans tortured terrorist suspects by doing such things as photographing them in sexually explicit positions, forcing them to remain naked for days, putting a dog chain around a prisoner’s neck, pouring cold water on naked prisoners, and frightening prisoners with military dogs. There were accusations of more serious abuse as well, such as sodomizing a prisoner with a chemical light, and beating detainees with a broom handle.

But that was when the prison was under American control, and that has all changed now. On September 1, control of Abu Ghraib prison was handed over to the Iraqi government. Great news for the prisoners, right? Well, maybe not.

On September 8, 27 prisoners were hanged at Abu Ghraib. Two of those hanged were convicted of terrorism; the other 25 were convicted of murder and kidnapping.

When publicly announcing the executions, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had this to say: "This is the message I have for the terrorists: we will see that you get great punishment wherever you are. There is nothing for you but prison and punishment."

Great punishment for those convicted of terrorism, murder, and kidnapping? There’s a novel idea.

Apparently, the executions are not the only changes at the prison since the Iraqis took over. A witness who visited Abu Ghraib was denied access to the block where the terrorism suspects were held, but said that he heard screaming coming from that block.

I am sure someone was being beaten; they were screaming like they were being hit... I heard shouting, like someone had a hot iron on their body, screams... Someone was shouting “Please help us, we want the human rights officers, we want the Americans to come back.”

What? They want the Americans to come back? Not the sadistic Americans! How can that be?

One prisoner, Khalid Alaani, who was interviewed after being released from the prison, said,

The Americans were better than the Iraqis. They treated us better...We preferred the Americans. We asked to move with them to Baghdad airport because we knew the treatment would be changed because we know what the Iraqis are. When the Americans left everything changed.

Somehow, this just doesn’t fit the template forged by much of the world and validated by the American left, the template that says that America is the great evil of the world, the cause of the war and suffering.

The world can refer to America as the “Great Satan,” but ask those captured in the war against terror whether they would rather be held captive by Americans or by Iraqis. Ask those at Guantanamo Bay whether they would like to remain under American control or be turned over to the Iraqis.

The Americans don’t look so bad now.