Ghosts of Abu Ghraib

Wow, I don’t know what else you can say after just watching this movie. During our discussion there was so much to say, but I was speechless at the same time…very weird feeling. I think I was still soaking everything in. I’ve seen most of those pictures before, but seeing it all put together in a documentary with the people involved hits really hard.

We discussed in class about the dark side of human nature and if people can transform in certain situations. I have a hard time sympathizing with the guards because it is difficult for me to kill a fly in my house let alone torture a person until they are practically on the verge of death. I know I haven’t been in the military, but I’m sure I couldn’t “suck it up” and do the job that they were doing. Everything about it just seemed horrible. I was really appalled when the woman would take pictures of the prisoners being tortured or the guy that died with a big smile on her face and thumbs up, it’s like are you serious? Her excuse was they believed he had already died of a heart attack…ok, well whatever she thought he died from, the point is that he is dead and she is smiling; I thought it was absolutely disgusting and disrespectful. Even though all of the prisoners were thought to be enemies (but without any real evidence), I still have a problem with someone being happy and taking pictures of someone dead. Also, one of her excuses was that she smiles and does a thumbs up in all of her pictures…I do not even think I need to comment on that statement, you are probably thinking the same thing as I am… ridiculous.

Anyways, the guards were under the impression that their work would have global implications. But at the end of the day, none of the prisoners were charged and all were released…that makes the whole situation that much worse. I understand the government wanted to find information and the people responsible, I just wonder how could the U.S. have gone about this in such a poor manner?? We are known for treating people humanely and claiming equal rights for everyone. All of the people were released with no charges, that means all of the people in the prison may have been innocent civilians and have been tortured for nothing. That boggles my mind.

I do not think that I would be able to live with myself after treating so many innocent people terribly and also being responsible for some of their deaths. Isn’t it convenient how the number of deceased was never released?? It’s hard to put myself in the shoes of the guards. They are being told to do this by their superiors and believe to be doing a good thing…I just do not understand how no one drew the line and said “this has gone too far”, especially when people were seriously injured and dying. I can never imagine going numb to viewing those types of things and if that is true, if humans are able to go completely numb, I am frightened for humanities sake. Can we as humans become so numb that we are comfortable with anything??? After watching the documentary about Abu Ghraib I would have to say that it seems as if humans can be numb to pretty much anything. I’m not trying to judge because it is a difficult situation, but when I saw those pictures and people smiling as those men were suffering I couldn’t help but to think that everything going on there was just wrong, plain old wrong.