Torture, With a Side Order of Intimidation

Link via Bad Attitudes. CNN reports that

U.S. special operations forces accused of abusing prisoners in Iraq threatened Defense Intelligence Agency personnel who saw the mistreatment, according to government memos released Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Another memo says the special forces once confiscated photos of a prisoner who had been punched in the face.

The special operations forces also monitored e-mails sent by defense personnel and ordered them "not to talk to anyone" about what they saw, said another memo written by the Defense Intelligence Agency chief, who complained to his Pentagon bosses about the harassment.

The intimidation speaks volumes--they KNEW the abuse and mistreatment of prisoners was wrong. They may have even known about the specific provisions in the Geneva Conventions prohibiting these practices. So they tried to strong-arm outside observers into shutting up.

Call it what you want, but neither liberation nor democracy fit the description.