The Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq

Paper Summary:

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 Abu Ghraib, 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."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Abu Ghraib Guard Admits Seven Charges of Abuse." Daily Post (Liverpool, England) 3 May 2005: 6. Questia. 13 Feb. 2008 <http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5009410197>.
• Anderson, Kevin B., "Thinking about Fromm and Marxism," Logos 6.3, found online at http://www.logosjournal.com/issue_6.3/anderson.htm, retrieved 12 February 2008.
• Breckler, Steven (2008), "How Psychology can Help Explain the Iraqi Prisoner Abuse," American Psychological Association, found online at http://www.apa.org/topics/iraqiabuse.html, retrieved 12 February 2008.
• Dittman, Melissa (2008), "What Makes People Do Bad Things?", American Psychological Association, found online at http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct04/goodbad.html, retrieved 12 February 2008.
• Phillips, Stone, (2005), "Behind the Abu Ghraib Photos, Dateline NBC television and online at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9532670/, retrieved 12 February 2008.

More papers on The Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq:

• Persuasive Essay # 103305 : "The Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal"
• Research Paper # 97621 : "Abu Ghraib Prison"
• Article Review # 138342 : "Abu Ghraib: The Women behind the Photos"

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