The United States fights wars about ideals and freedom, but in the nation’s war on terrorism both sides are in danger of becoming morally indistinguishable. Terrorists have long tortured their captives, but the U.S. is quickly losing the moral high ground. Despite the mass public reaction against the Abu Ghraib scandal, little is being done by the government to stop future instances of torture.
The soldiers accused of torturing prisoners at Abu Ghraib are currently standing trial. Charles Graner, the alleged leader of the abuse, does not rest his defense on his innocence but rather on the idea that these acts are not really torture. His defense attorney, Guy Womack, claims that his human pyramid of naked prisoners was not significantly different from a standard cheerleader practice. Inmates in Guantanamo Bay were not only denied trial, but are routinely handcuffed into fetal positions and left alone in complete darkness for up to 24 hours. Their guards returned to find men covered in their own urine and feces, completely deprived of their dignity.
The problem is not limited to a few low-ranking soldiers in the military; Graner’s superiors commended his behavior. Interrogation techniques that are generally regarded as torture are endorsed and even embraced by the United States government. Alberto Gonzales, the President’s nominee for Attorney General, is widely known for his support of forceful interrogation. Memos he authorized redefine torture so that it would not violate U.S. or international law. Only acts that are specifically intended to cause severe pain or permanent damage, such as organ failure, are considered torture; humiliation or cruel treatment are considered legal. These memos also claim that the inmates in Guantanamo Bay are exempt from the protections of the Geneva Convention and that provisions of the convention itself are ‘quaint.’
Organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been quick to call out the U.S. on its poor behavior: Amnesty International’s 12-point Program for the Prevention of Torture by Agents of the State uses the United States as an example of torture in each of the 12 points.
The U.S. has a history rooted in justice and fair treatment. Practices such as the classification of ‘enemy combatants’ and redefining torture are simply legal loopholes that allow the United States to torture prisoners. The U.S. needs to punish and discourage torturous practices to keep from becoming the very thing we fight against. When U.S. forces come into a country, villages are not supposed to be razed, the women raped and the men tortured. The U.S. has always been the moral leader of the world, but if torture becomes acceptable, then what difference is there between the U.S. and the terrorists?
