Sigma
02-14-2006, 04:52 PM
Torture and abuse scandals in Iraq (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9964) are not new. The U.S. forces’ abuse and torture crimes against Iraqi detainees held in the Abu Ghraib (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9498) jail near the Iraqi capital under the control of the Pentagon had earlier topped the world's agenda.
And a few days ago another scandal not less disdainful was uncovered by the weekly British newspaper The News of the World which released a shocking videotape, shot in 2004, and showing British troops beating a group of defenseless Iraqi teens with batons and kicking a dead Iraqi in the face.
The video, which included inhuman 42 blows in just 60 seconds with the cameraman laughing and egging the soldiers on, came as another horrific episode in a series of shocking scandals involving the occupation forces’ brutal attitude, inhuman treatment of Iraqis, and increasing frustration over staying in the war torn country for extended periods.
The News of the World ran the headline, "Shame of 42 brainless blows" and broadcast the video images on its website.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2006/02/13/wirq13.jpgBut in this video, apparently "filmed for fun" recorded by a corporal in 2004, is different from other scandals involving the British troops in abuse and torture of Iraqis. The evidence has been provided along with the outbreak of the scandal- there are better reasons than usual for paying attention to this one. An authentic-looking video footage showing British troops brutally beating defenseless young civilians in Iraq (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9964) next to a military compound in Basra.
The footage starts off with disturbance in the street outside the troops’ military compound. The soldiers appear chasing Iraqi teens, beating them with clubs and kicking them in the genitals, one appeared kicking a dead Iraqi in the face. The cameraman is heard insulting the Iraqi youngsters, saying "Oh yes! Oh yes! You're gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys!"
“Caution is in order, not least because a previous set of abuse pictures turned out to be fakes”, said an article published earlier on UK’s The Guardian.
Extracts of the video and images showing some of the brutal scenes were broadcast as quickly as never any scandal reached TV stations or the Arab and Muslim media.
http://www.bintjbeil.com/articles/2004/images/0501_mirror.jpgThe fact that the April 2004 abuse photos released by The Daily Mirror turned out to be fake, or the fact that the British forces were not implicated in the Abu Ghraib (http://www.forum.uz/) abuse scandal don’t make the effect of the torture allegations that were proven true last May, or the latest video less cumulative or damaging.
The British government lead by Prime Minister Tony Blair insists that out of the 80,000 British personnel who have now served in Iraq (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9964) only a tiny handful is involved in crimes.
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2005/01/18/courtmartialhandout372.jpgAnd while many Iraqis would consider the actions "normal compared to what happens behind closed doors, which is greater” as Basra resident, Muhammad Al Moussaoui, pointed out, Akil Al Bahadily, an official from the Basra office of the Shia cleric Muqtada Al Sadr says that "this is good proof of the violations of human rights being committed by British troops in Basra".
May photos and this week’s scandalous video may not be Abu Ghraib (http://www.forum.uz/), but they do dispel some popular myths: that the English are the gentlemen occupiers and that they are a civilizing corrective to the American war machine.
<<Watch the Video Here>> (http://astream.com/links/notw/together_300.asx)
And a few days ago another scandal not less disdainful was uncovered by the weekly British newspaper The News of the World which released a shocking videotape, shot in 2004, and showing British troops beating a group of defenseless Iraqi teens with batons and kicking a dead Iraqi in the face.
The video, which included inhuman 42 blows in just 60 seconds with the cameraman laughing and egging the soldiers on, came as another horrific episode in a series of shocking scandals involving the occupation forces’ brutal attitude, inhuman treatment of Iraqis, and increasing frustration over staying in the war torn country for extended periods.
The News of the World ran the headline, "Shame of 42 brainless blows" and broadcast the video images on its website.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2006/02/13/wirq13.jpgBut in this video, apparently "filmed for fun" recorded by a corporal in 2004, is different from other scandals involving the British troops in abuse and torture of Iraqis. The evidence has been provided along with the outbreak of the scandal- there are better reasons than usual for paying attention to this one. An authentic-looking video footage showing British troops brutally beating defenseless young civilians in Iraq (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9964) next to a military compound in Basra.
The footage starts off with disturbance in the street outside the troops’ military compound. The soldiers appear chasing Iraqi teens, beating them with clubs and kicking them in the genitals, one appeared kicking a dead Iraqi in the face. The cameraman is heard insulting the Iraqi youngsters, saying "Oh yes! Oh yes! You're gonna get it. Yes, naughty little boys!"
“Caution is in order, not least because a previous set of abuse pictures turned out to be fakes”, said an article published earlier on UK’s The Guardian.
Extracts of the video and images showing some of the brutal scenes were broadcast as quickly as never any scandal reached TV stations or the Arab and Muslim media.
http://www.bintjbeil.com/articles/2004/images/0501_mirror.jpgThe fact that the April 2004 abuse photos released by The Daily Mirror turned out to be fake, or the fact that the British forces were not implicated in the Abu Ghraib (http://www.forum.uz/) abuse scandal don’t make the effect of the torture allegations that were proven true last May, or the latest video less cumulative or damaging.
The British government lead by Prime Minister Tony Blair insists that out of the 80,000 British personnel who have now served in Iraq (http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9964) only a tiny handful is involved in crimes.
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2005/01/18/courtmartialhandout372.jpgAnd while many Iraqis would consider the actions "normal compared to what happens behind closed doors, which is greater” as Basra resident, Muhammad Al Moussaoui, pointed out, Akil Al Bahadily, an official from the Basra office of the Shia cleric Muqtada Al Sadr says that "this is good proof of the violations of human rights being committed by British troops in Basra".
May photos and this week’s scandalous video may not be Abu Ghraib (http://www.forum.uz/), but they do dispel some popular myths: that the English are the gentlemen occupiers and that they are a civilizing corrective to the American war machine.
<<Watch the Video Here>> (http://astream.com/links/notw/together_300.asx)