Abu Ghraib

[Warning: I don't usually curse, but this occasion demands it.] 

If you ever think that "law" and "justice" belong in the same sentence, just remember Lynndie England. Apparently, Lynndie "Just Following Orders" England has a book; profited from her conduct at Abu Ghraib; and served only a year and a half (521 days) of jail time. 

So let me get this straight--a bunch of Chinese Muslims get jailed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, aren't given due process, and end up getting deported. 

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, supporters of anti-immigrant measures found common cause with the Bush administration in justifying expansive new immigration authorities in the name of national security. the department of Justice (doJ) began focusing on immigrants almost immediately. In the weeks following the attacks, doJ implemented a new set of policies for a growing category of non-citizens who became known as special interest detainees. In total, more than 760 predominantly muslim men were held as special interest detainees. many of the detainees were held for weeks, even months, without being charged. Ultimately, none was charged with a crime related to the attacks of 9/11; many were deported for visa violations. -- The 9/11 Effect and its Legacy on U.S. Immigration Laws, Penn State Law, School of International Affairs, edited by Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia (2011) 

Meanwhile, some dumb back-country b*tch destroys America's reputation, refuses to take any personal responsibility for her actions, gets knocked up by a sadist, and we're not only keeping her in the country, we're giving her a book deal? (Irony alert: Bad Apple Books, LLC is the publisher.)

Her defense? I wasn't trained as a prison guard, and the power of love (for Charles Graner) made me do it. Bulls**t. Oh yes, Charles Graner, the sadistic jackass who lacks a healthy sense of irony. He once said, "Having the lights on all of the time was torture for me." (Salon.com, Mark Benjamin, 12/1/08). F*ck you, Chucky. 

Some more interesting facts: Manadel al-Jamadi, after being tortured (including by strappado) and beaten to death, was hooked up to a fake IV to disguise the fatal beating. Andrew Ledford, a Navy SEAL accused of inflicting the fatal beating, was somehow acquitted and never served any jail time. In fact, most of the Abu Graib participants received either no jail time or less than a year's jail sentence--effectively rendering their conduct on par with a civil misdemeanor. Meanwhile, life goes on in America. 

The TSA recently detained Shah Rukh Khan, a famous Indian actor, until he made a call to the Indian consulate. The delicious irony is that Mr. Khan is making a film about a Muslim man's experience with racial profiling. I'm willing to bet the TSA won't fire anyone as a result of the improper detention. That means Middle Easterners can look forward to the following treatment at some American airports: "Um, your last name looks funny...wait here for a few hours."

Bottom line: if America wants to be taken seriously as a land of freedom for all, regardless of national origin, it must start openly disciplining government workers, especially military personnel, when they screw up. Thanks to government unions, however, if you're drunk on the Homeland Security kool-aid or the military-industrial complex, it appears you'll continue to get a free pass. God bless America? 

© Matthew Mehdi Rafat (2009) 

Note: this post has been revised since its original publication.