“My fellow citizens, the dangers to our country and the world will be overcome. We will pass through this time of peril and carry on the work of peace. We will defend our freedom. We will bring freedom to others and we will prevail,” stated President George W. Bush on March 19, 2003 when he justified the United States’ need to invade Iraq (Khan 64). Within the borders of Iraq, US soldiers dehumanized Iraqi citizens by torturing them in a prison known as Abu Ghraib and photographed themselves doing so. Challenging the same ideals of freedom and justice that President Bush stated the need for, the Abu Ghraib photos displayed sneering US soldiers posing with naked prisoners, detainees commanded to perform sexual acts, and piles of hooded bodies.
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Unfortunately, the United States’ government did not handle the situation as well as some may have expected. In 2004, the US Congress received only twelve hours of sworn testimony about Abu Ghraib and there were no final reports (Eisenman 7). The main attention was focused on the lower-ranking officers, instead of the whole chain of command. Also in 2004, the General in charge of monitoring Iraqi prisoners, Geoffrey Miller, was promoted to deputy commanding general for detainee operations in Iraq, even after the incident at Abu Ghraib. At the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes, Geoffrey Miller also received the Distinguished Service Medal-- an award presented to any person serving in the United States’ army who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptional service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility--in 2006. (Khan 67) Although there were 27 deaths labelled as homicides at Abu Ghraib, the longest punishment received by a soldier convicted of murder only lasted three years (Eisenman 8). In the past other nations have looked to the United States as a role model; however, the images, along with the response from the US government, call in question the supposed American values of freedom and
Unfortunately, the United States’ government did not handle the situation as well as some may have expected. In 2004, the US Congress received only twelve hours of sworn testimony about Abu Ghraib and there were no final reports (Eisenman 7). The main attention was focused on the lower-ranking officers, instead of the whole chain of command. Also in 2004, the General in charge of monitoring Iraqi prisoners, Geoffrey Miller, was promoted to deputy commanding general for detainee operations in Iraq, even after the incident at Abu Ghraib. At the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes, Geoffrey Miller also received the Distinguished Service Medal-- an award presented to any person serving in the United States’ army who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptional service to the Government in a duty of great responsibility--in 2006. (Khan 67) Although there were 27 deaths labelled as homicides at Abu Ghraib, the longest punishment received by a soldier convicted of murder only lasted three years (Eisenman 8). In the past other nations have looked to the United States as a role model; however, the images, along with the response from the US government, call in question the supposed American values of freedom and