Derb – I’ve got to finish two columns (can’t you tell by how much I’m procrastinating in the Corner?), but I’ve got to say I’m surprised. Considering your views on “buggery” alone, I would have assumed you would have disapproved of the actions of the Abu Ghraib guards. I certainly agree with you that there’s a whole separate scandal which isn’t getting enough attention — the outrageous stupidity of allowing cameras into these prisons for any reason whatsoever (a point I’ve made from the begining).
But, barring some new — and unlikely — evidence, this certainly sounds like a bunch of sadistic perverts abusing prisoners for the joy of it and not for much else. “Kicking” prisoners to find out what they know is one thing, trying to film your own violent porn movie with POWs is quite another. The coverage may be overblown and their may be more to the story, but I think we make a huge mistake — tactical and moral — if we pretend that this wasn’t a very, very bad thing.