Thoughts on Abu Ghraib

The book I mentioned in my last post is by Thomas E. Ricks, not Hicks. The book is Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq. It is comprehensive, engaging, biting. The book's leit motif is the administration's hubris and shortsightedness in not preparing for the insurgency. Army units, esp. Guard and Reserve, have been sent to Iraq inadequately trained and armed. The Abu Ghraib scandal, while reprehensibile, is understandable once you know the situation the soldiers were in, how overworked and under-prepared they were, how little supervision there was. It's not necessarily bad people that abuse prisoners, the situation they are shapes behavior. One need only to look at Zimbardo's 1970 Stanford Prison Experiment to see how a prison environment can effect both prisoners' and guards' behavior, leading the abuse of detainees.

And I see Lynddie England as a victim as well as a perpetrator. I know something about the gender dynamics of enlisted people in the Army. Females are outnumbered and face prejudice for just being there. They labor under the "whore/lesbian" dichotomy - you are either a slut for doing a "man's job," or you are a dyke. That opens the door to sexual acting out. Moreover, she wanted to please her male comrades, probably wanted their affection, and wanted to belong. What better way than to whole heartedly endorse and adopt their "entertainment?" I don't think she was able to not participate in the abuse of detainees

But the bottom line is this: The effect of prison environments on people's behavior has been known for a long time. COMMANDERS SHOULD HAVE SEEN THIS COMING! But then, the powers that be didn't see any of this coming.

This is the last day of the year, and I am already tired of resolutions and "best of 2006" lists. Let's take the Christmas decorations down now, PLEASE, and get back to work. I am frustrated by the fact that I can't get into my office to work until Tuesday, and the YMCA is closed until Tuesday as well. I am tired of rich, fattening holiday food. But I hope '07 will be better than '06.

How do acknowledge this f***ed up war, its waste and uselessness, and still honor our military people?

I am a pacifist, but I was once a member of the US Army. Last night I had a dream in which I was back in the military, and mad because I wasn't able to do my job, which was military intelligence. I also had my dog, Laika, with me, and I wasn't supposed to. I was trying to hide her. In this dream, I was leaving books on social justice and real MI operations where the commander could read them. Hmm. Could it be that I have been reading Hicks' book, Fiasco: the American Adventure in Irag? What a waste, what sadness and despair, for nothing. How many people have to die? How do we end this?

I am reminded of two songs. One is Eliza Gilykson's "Tender Mercies" on her album Land of Milk and Honey. The last verse goes: "Across the world she holds her loved ones to her chest, lays them down and listens at the door. Everyone is safe and warm in the land of the truly blest. How can we even dare to ask for more?" The other one is Bob Dylan's "Masters of War," from his 1963 album, The Free-Wheelin' Bob Dylan.

I wonder how we can protest this war, yet not belittle the efforts and sacrifices of our enlisted people? We need to embrace them without insulting their honor. Sure, in the words of the philospher Sting, "Pawns in the game are not victims of chance." But to dismiss our people in Iraq as mere pawns is an insult. I dunno.

This is my first entry!

I swore I would never do this, that is launch myself into the blogosphere (I am not even sure if I spelled that correctly). Well, here I am adding to the hot air, so in case anyone cares.

I am a 45 year old over educated single woman, cute, if not a bit on the plump side, and pleasant most of the time to most people. I am a medical anthropologist by trade. I collect folk and international music, as well as some indie adult contemporaries like Dar Williams, Ben Harper, and Dan Bern. I have two crazy kitties (one who attacks my mother), and a beautiful pound puppy (2 years old, actually), who appears to be a border collie - golden retriever mix. The cats are named Kim and Hazel, and the dog is named Laika, after the first creature in space via the Soviet "muttnik" progragm

I teach, teach, teach all kinds of things. On my office wall is a Tibetan prayer flag, several Northwest Coast (e.g., Tlingit - I told you I was an anthropologist) renditions of Raven, and a sign that says "Proud member of the Order of Illuminati - Secretly Controlling Everything for Almost 250 years."

Okay, rambling on. Who or what are the Illuminati anyway? I don't think that they really exist; if they did, I'd like to go hang out with them I'm an anthropologist, you know? Really, I have been accused of being a member of the Illuminati. I wish I was,;I'm dying of curiosity! And is there really an international Jewish banking conspiracy? If so, I'd like to study it. I'd like to know how any group of human beings can keep any damn secret for more than 15 minutes! My goodness!

Oh, and I compulsively listen to NPR, watch PBS, and like NONAMERICAN beer.