August 25, 2005
Afghanistan Criticizes US Military Courts Over Prisoner Abuse Trials
Afghan human rights officials Wednesday described as "unbelievably lenient" the sentences U.S. military courts have handed down to American soldiers convicted of abusing two Afghan detainees who later died.
One soldier has been sentenced to two months in prison, another to three months. A third was demoted and given a letter of reprimand and a fine. A fourth was given a reduction in rank and pay.
~Remember Afghanistan? Me neither.
"Abuse": is that what the military calls it when a man is repeatedly beaten until he dies? He was 'abused to death'? Or is that the AP headline-writer's way to avoid mentioning death or killing?
An e-mail friend on the use of the term 'abuse' to describe these crimes: "Yeah, like in shouting at your wife, say. Except that when you abuse your wife to death you will get slightly more than two months - except when she's Afghani."
"...the two men were chained to the ceiling in standing positions, one at the waist and one by the wrists, while their feet remained on the ground."
[image google; not with above\ caption from story]