Abuse Horrible, But Predictable

The humiliation and torture of prisoners of war is wicked. It is a direct breach of the Geneva Convention.

But it has always happened, and always will.

In the heat of battle, when our troops are killing and being killed, we celebrate their unflinching courage. In conquest we seek civilised restraint of these same people - as if pride in the national uniform can turn human beings into superhumans.

We want our fearsome warriors to become fair gaolers, overnight. We expect far too much of them.

Every war zone has produced prisoner horror stories. For you - in Korea and Vietnam. For us - in Malaya, Cyprus, Kenya, Aden, even Northern Ireland. The cruel misbehaviour of victor against vanquished captive is real, brutal and inevitable. To claim that we are above such actions is to deny both the baser instincts of our species and history itself.

But it is never to be condoned. Nor, if you are President or Secretary of Defence, should it ever come as a surprise.

In this case, however, it is the appearance of complete surprise, the sense of real shock on the faces of Messrs. Bush and Rumsfeld that is so disturbing. Any General could have told them what was likely to happen in the aftermath of the Iraq campaign. And any General should have warned them that this time neither the army nor the politicians would be able to hush it up.

The portfolio of photographs currently circulating is said to number well over a thousand. There are probably videos too. Digital cameras and the internet together have turned some soldiers' sordid secrets into a ghastly and unstoppable worldwide exhibition of military pornography. Against which the public apologies of the political leaders and the moral indignation they now utter look hollow indeed.

If their disgust at what has happened is genuine, their responsibility as Commanders ought to be obvious -- it's time the buck stopped at the top.

By Ed Boyle