Abstract This paper looks at the abuse of prisoners in AbuGhraib. The writer discusses how social psychology may have made inevitable what happened between the prisoners and the soldiers at AbuGhraib .
From the Paper "Currently several military trails are going on following the revelation of abuse of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison. For example, Reserve Sgt. Gary Pittman went on trial for his involvement in the assault of an Iraqi POW, who later died. This paper examines the facts that led to this and other abuses at Abu Ghraib from the perspective of social psychology, in order to ask the question: Could social psychology have predicted ... "
Abstract This paper examines the AbuGhraib prison scandal in Iraq, where discipline and military standards were disregarded by US military soldiers, who beat, humiliated, and tortured prisoners. The paper points out that the US did not start to reevaluate the standards and conditions of their prisons until more cases of prisoner mistreatment throughout prisons in Iraq started to surface. The American Army started to set new standards to enforce throughout its units since it could no longer place the blame on "a few bad apples." The paper argues that, while this might seem like a change for the better, the United States Army was already in the possession of the resources needed to prevent such an occurrence. The paper concludes that the events that took place at AbuGhraib and other prisons could have been avoided with the presence of proper leadership, supervision, and enforcement of basic military standards.
From the Paper "During times of war, strong leadership and positive role models are essential in keeping order and focus in a group of people. Good leaders take charge, allot tasks, and enable others to cooperate to complete a project. In order to sustain their status and continuation of the group, soldiers take part in collective observational learning. This prevents corruption through negative reinforcement and strengthens camaraderie through mutual positive reinforcement. In my beast squad, my platoon sergeant was always present, setting examples for New Cadets to follow. My squad leader imitated his actions, always treating us fairly, and disciplined us when we needed it. In the case of Abu Ghraib, the presence of a positive role model was needed to prevent the distortion of military standards. The presence of a good leader would have allowed the soldiers in the prison unit to instill within themselves competence, loyalty, and honor to the tasks they were assigned. Furthermore, if Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick II was a good leader, he would have instated the military standards in accordance with the Geneva Convention that he and his staff were trained in, and he would have felt the moral obligation to stop the mistreatment of prisoners. The soldiers tasked with guarding the prisoners would not have been free to abuse detainees had Staff Sergeant Frederick II followed his training and enforced orders."
Abstract This paper compares the prisoner abuse at AbuGhraib to that seen in Philip Zimbardo's landmark psychological experiment into group behavior and the effects of differential power. The paper relates that Zimbardo's experiment demonstrated that even ordinary citizens without any previous history or known predisposition toward violence or abusive behavior have the potential to become cruelly abusive under circumstances that combine authority, unsupervised autonomy, and authoritative control over others. The paper then looks at how, in many ways, the real-life abuses at AbuGhraib paralleled Zimbardo's previous observations of human behavior during his 1971 experiment at Stanford.
From the Paper "The degree of abuse at Abu Ghraib was much worse than observed in the 1971 Stanford experiment, even after factoring in the fundamental differences between real life situations and controlled experiment. If anything, the fact that ordinary civilian students proved capable of such conduct on other civilians, even without the psychological stresses of a wartime combat zone and genuinely hostile prisoners, suggests that the risk of similar abuse in genuine wartime situations is much higher. "
Abstract Using polling data from the Israeli and American publics from the early 1980s, along with newspapers too, this paper studies how public support for the 2003 Iraq War and the 1982-1983 Lebanon invasion rebounded, despite the AbuGhraib and Sabra and Shatila incidents.
From the Paper "The United States of America, scholars might someday say, happened upon the invasion of the Mesopotamian state of Iraq while searching for international terrorist groups in all of the wrong places. This is stated glibly because it is a very long and complex story. For the purpose of this study, it is only necessary to understand that having conquered Iraq, terminated its central government, and unwittingly facilitated the decline of civil society, the United States began detaining and interrogating petty criminals, former Ba'th party officials, violent insurgents, and frankly any other suspicious persons within the country's borders in March of 2003."
Abstract This paper explains that the atrocities associated with the once American controlled AbuGhraib prison in Iraq have been represented visually through a series of oft repeated photographs taken by American guards at the prison. The author points out that these images are of frequently naked, hooded Iraqi prisoners being publicly shamed and tortured by America soldiers, often shown smiling and referring to the spectacle with what can only be described as glee. The paper states that these pictures have left a lasting mark on the face of the war and on the image of the United States all over the world.
From the Paper "Another issue associated with these grave deeds and their photographic record is the obvious and frequent utilization of nudity as a manner to debase prisoners. The guards are shown fully uniformed (in a show of power over the prisoners) while prisoners, except for the covering of their faces are debased in scenes of immorality completely incongruent with their faith and their pride, yet interestingly congruent with the world view (as it applies to Islam) as it relates to hatred of western freedoms, including the manner in which the west freely depicts nudity and objectifies the body."
Abstract This paper notes that examining the impact of media reports about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers in AbuGhraib prison reveals the powerful emotional impact of photographs and video. The author points out that only minor attention was paid to the story until shocking visual evidence of abuse became available. The paper contends that the media controversy generated by AbuGhraib demonstrated that reality itself has become a prisoner in America, bound and chained by political ideology and vulnerable to the whims of those in authority.
From the Paper "In examining the impact of media reports about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by American military personnel in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, it is significant that only minor attention was paid to the story until shocking photographs and videos became available. Visual proof of prisoner abuse (Kick) altered the American public's perceptions of reality in a fundamental way and revealed the shallow and superficial knowledge many Americans have of what is happening in the world. The Abu Ghraib debacle and the controversy it generated exposed the manipulative nature of the Bush Administration and the mainstream media establishment, which both benefit from portraying American military operations as idealistic crusades against "evil.""
Abstract The paper imagines a future presentation about the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. The paper discusses the graphic and disturbing images taken of prisoner abuse in the AbuGhraib detention center in Baghdad and contends that there should be no censorship of these photos. The paper describes the hideously cruel and inhumane treatment being administered to Iraqi prisoners and Bush's allowance of illegal torture in contravention of the Geneva Convention. The paper also examines Congress' legislation against torture that was thwarted by Bush. The paper emphasizes the public's right to know and concludes that at a future exhibit, the photos of prisoners being abused at AbuGhraib will speak for themselves - if they are allowed to be shown.
Outline:
Introduction
Thesis
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4
From the Paper "One day not too many years from now there will likely be a high-visibility exhibition / exposition - featuring illustrations, graphs, charts, photography, audio and video clips along with timely printed information - about the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. This presentation will cover the intelligence data and political arguments that were offered by the executive branch in order to justify the military venture. Under the scrutiny of post-invasion empirical analysis the exposition will reflect precisely how those previous justifications held up. And it will cover the military and political ramifications of the entire operation."
Abstract This paper discusses the official culpability of the United States in the AbuGhraib torture scandal and argues that the superpower is guilty of the deliberate violation of the most basic tenets of warfare and international humanitarian law.
From the Paper "The fact of the matter is that the United Nations has repeatedly demonstrated its incapacity to fulfill the roles and goals that it established for itself. This observation is implied, even though not explicitly stated, in Diehl et. al.'s article on the United Nations' peacekeeping functions ad its record in controlling conflicts (683-684). According to this viewpoint, the United Nations, as an organization, and irrespective of the many institutions and organs that it comprises, has neither the manpower nor the financial resources needed to fulfill its duties and responsibilities towards the international community (683-684)."
Abstract The paper explains that social influence is the phenomena by which people are coerced into behaviors that they would not normally display. The paper asserts that the soldiers involved in the inhumane treatment of prisoners of war at Abu-Ghraib should not be held individually responsible for their actions. The paper contends that only due to the social influence of the group mindset, coupled with the daily stresses of being in a war zone, they acted in such a way.
Outline:
Introduction
Social Influence
From the Paper "In January 2004 upper level military personnel received word that a SGT had filed concerns that some of his fellow military police guards were treating prisoners of war badly(Hasenauer, 2004)."
"The ensuing investigation lasted seven months and was conducted by several agencies before the final determination was made that prisoners of war in Abu Ghraib were treated inhumanely by American soldiers. It was a story that was heard around the world as anger mounted against the Americans who claimed to be fighting against Saddam's regime and inhumane treatment of people and then did the same thing to prisoners of war."
Abstract This paper presents a pyschological analysis of the series of events that took place at the AbuGhraib prison in order to extract the social issues surrounding the events. The paper looks at how the concepts of norm, conformity, reference groups, and potential groupthink, lead to the thesis that, the incidents did not take place because the soldiers were inherently evil, but because given the same set of events any individual would engage in the same actions.
From the Paper "The leadership aspects surrounding the events need to be taken into consideration. Since the actions whether directly or indirectly were acceptable to the authorities, since soldiers were given the mandate to act as interrogators ("Psychology of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse", 2004, para 20). The environment seemed to be a simulated set for abuse. Experiments conducted by Milgram shows how this type of leadership environment can lead to unnatural and uncharacteristic behaviors under the direction of other individuals. This leadership aspect is especially important in an army environment, and should have been more closely monitored. "
Abstract In 2005, a 22 year old female reservist serving in Iraq, Lynndie England, admitted to seven charges of infraction and breaking of the United States Military's rules for handling prisoners of war under her charge as a United States Military prison guard at AbuGhraib, Iraq. The author of the paper uses the example of Lynndie England to examine the situation that young, immature and inexperienced reserve soldiers find themselves in, the environmental factors that influence their behavior, and their capability to behave humanely. The writer suggest, that rather than accusing the perpetrator of degrading and inhumane acts of being inhuman, we should look at the situation where young, inexperienced adults are thrown into a totally alien situation and, in the absence of proper guidance or leadership, adopt the machoistic behavioral patterns that they perceive as being both expected of them and, in their situation, normal. The writer of the paper appends some of the sources used for the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
The Case of Lynndie England
Works Cited
From the Paper "What this means is that a woman in the company of "revolutionaries," or, in the case of Abu Ghraib, a woman cannot achieve the maximum of her potential because in the presence of macho men, still struggling with their patriarchal "baggage," or those influences that prevent them from coming into the identity of their maturity. As we know, in some cases, this might not happen; in other cases, a man is able to put the patriarch in the proper perspective, and might emerge into maturity as an individual identity. Those men who successfully "liberate themselves of learned patriarchal patterns and tendencies will be able to come into their individuality and succeed beyond the restrictions of their fathers."
Tags: war crimes, inhuman maturity responsibility leadership officers prison control abuse power torture humiliation ethics patriarchal
Abstract This paper explains that the United States government, its military personnel, diplomatic officials and other representatives have failed to prevent or speak out against attacks on gay and lesbian Iraqis because of political expediency. The author relates the ways in which the condition of Iraqi gay and lesbian citizens today is worse than under Saddam Hussein. The U.S. must recognize its responsibility and must work to protect the gay and lesbian citizens of Iraq, the paper argues, because human beings are not defined by their sexual identity.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Background: The United States Invasion of Iraq and Humanitarian Claims and Responsibilities
The Invasion
Occupation: America's Duties and Responsibilities under International Law
To an "Independent" Iraq: Implicit American Support for Anti-Gay Order
The Full Horror of Occupation: Implicit American Support for a Bigoted Iraqi Regime
Catalog of Atrocities
American "Moral Lapses": AbuGhraib and the Wider Problem of Violence in Iraq
American Neglect of Treaty Obligations and Its Failure as an Occupying Power
The American Failure to Lead by Example
Conditions on the Home Front
Implications for the American Occupation in Iraq
Conclusion
From the Paper "American policies and attitudes further encourage the very same tendencies in the new Iraqi state. The military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," supplies Iraqi militiamen with just the excuses they need to continue to dehumanize their gay and lesbian compatriots. By forcing American service people into the shadows, the United States creates an atmosphere in Iraq that is conducive to the marginalization and destruction of gay men and women. "
Tags: fatwahs, shariah law, abughraib, political expediency, intervene
Abstract This paper presents a brief history of the My Lai Massacre and the war crimes Lieutenant William Calley committed during the Vietnam War. The paper explains that Calley's sentence was reduced by President Nixon from life in prison to a three-year house arrest at Ft. Benning, GA. The paper examines the dilemmas that the jury had to face when coming to a final verdict and discusses why that verdict should not have been pardoned by President Nixon. The paper justifies this with very strong supporting evidence. The psychological experiments done by Stanley Milgram on the human nature regarding authority is also addressed in the paper. The paper also provides a comparison to a modern day war crime, the AbuGhraib Prison scandals during the Iraqi War.
From the Paper "On March 16, 1968 the southern Vietnamese hamlet My Lai, was invaded by a demoralized platoon of U.S. soldiers, led by Lt. William L. Calley. During the four hours at My Lai, an estimated 347 unarmed civilians were brutally massacred by American GI's. These civilians included women, babies, children, and old men. Many of these civilians were raped, sodomized, mutilated, tortured, and then shot to death in cold blood. This shameful incident remained unknown to the American public until the autumn of 1969. That is nearly 18 months that the government and U.S. Army kept it covered up from the public. We may not have ever known of this abhorrent event if not for journalist Seymour Hersh, who tapped Pentagon sources and began publishing syndicated stories about My Lai. After the bloodshed was made public, special investigations by the U.S. army and the House of Representatives took place. Several soldiers and veterans were charged with murder, and a number of officers were accused of dereliction of duty for covering up the massacre at My Lai. However, only five of these soldiers were court-martialed and one of them, Lt. William Calley, was convicted. Calley was found guilty on March 29, 1971 for premeditated murder of at least twenty-two Vietnamese civilians and was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, President Nixon pardoned his sentence, and reduced his punishment to serve just 3 ? years under house arrest at Fort Benning in Georgia. Is this justice? Was Nixon's pardon justifiable? Is Lt. Calley a sadistic lunatic fringe on society or was he innocently and blindly obeying orders given by a higher ranking authority figure?"
This paper explores the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by reviewing a journal article that modeled this theory and by applying TPB to the activities of American soldiers at the Abu Gharib prison in Iraq.
Abstract This paper presents a review of a journal article that modeled the theory of planned behavior and used an experiment-related exercise to show the facets of the theory. Also, the paper uses a very public example that was presented in the media to show the applicability of the theory of planned behavior to explain human behavior. The example chosen was the activities of American soldiers at the Abu Gharib prison in Iraq. The paper concludes with an interpersonal example that is linked to the major hypothesis of the theory of planned behavior.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Journal Article Analyzed: Modeling the Theory of Planned Behavior and Past Behavior
Mass Media Example of the Theory of Planned Behavior: AbuGhraib Prison Behavior
Personal Interpersonal Example of the Theory of Planned Behavior
From the Paper "According to Stannard, Zimbardo's study showed that prisons are an institution that are designed to change the psychological make-up of the occupants; what is not clear, is how it affects other occupants, that are their by choice, most notably the guards. Stannard uses Zimbardo's study to state that prisons present an environment where the power differential is so uneven that it presents an environment for abuse, which is prisoners are powerless, while, guards have complete control and complete power."
Abstract This paper explains that the use of torture is counter to the U.S. constitution; however, American ethnocentrism, which includes the beliefs that the country represents all that is good and decent and honorable and that freedom and the American way of life must be defended at all costs tend to underscore the acceptance of the use of torture in the case of preventing terrorism. The author believes that the White House response to photos of young military personnel at Abu Graib prision sexually assaulting and humiliating prisoners was to imply that only a few poorly supervised bad apple MPs would do such things. The paper states that, although President Bush says publicly that the U.S. is committed to the worldwide elimination of torture as an inalienable human right, the Bush administration actually fosters and encourages torture.
From the Paper "Information and confessions obtained by torture are notoriously unreliable. People will say anything to escape the pain being inflicted upon them. Pain and fear are what torture is all about in tactics such as holding a person's head under water or wiring a mans hands, legs, and penis in order to deliver electric shocks. The people who are tortured are not necessarily guilty either. Many haven't even been charged. When Congress watched 1800 slides and several videos (three hours worth) of Abu Ghraib Prison, they saw American soldiers sexually assault prisoners with chemical light sticks."
Tags: military, administration, ethnocentrism, constitution, bush
