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Folowing is an open letter from myself, BigBadJohnny, to a discussion group in Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

lovely Lincoln park

Although not currently residing in Lincoln Park, I was initially gladdened to know of a group so close to my north side home, with such similar interests. I have opposed the war in Iraq since long before it began. My public denunciations of the Bush Presidency, and the war, have been featured on the news at 7& 9 PM.
My calls to Mr.Rush Limbaugh, back when he was formidable, in those golden early days of talk radio were thrilling, well above the usual range of his barely audible callers.
Some of you might even remember my conversations with Don and Roma, from my summer cottage in Wonder Lake.

I'm trying to reach an understanding of a military mentality of our troops in Iraq, and in detention centers, such as the center in Guantanamo Bay that allows for mild to severe torture.
Forcing someone to do dog tricks, on a leash, for 18 to 20 hours each day, for 48 of 54 days is more than mild torture.
"..detainee Mu hammed Al-Kahtan was forced to stand naked in front of a female interrogator, forced to wear women's underwear, and perform "dog tricks' on a leash, for 18 to 20 hours/day, for 48 of 54 days."
If we review current cases, we find that those tortured do not have nor were they thought to have, important information. Rather they were tortured just to pass the time.
Our current military, Reservists and enlistees, is of the highest quality. Our sons and daughters are well educated, polite, and honorably motivated. What then engenders behavior which most Americans find repulsive?
In order to motivate polite individuals to kill with little remorse (which is necessary in war situations) these individuals must be indoctrinated to view the enemy as sub-human and Godless.
During basic Training, advanced training, staging, and while in Iraq, and Afghanistan, our soldiers are constantly conditioned to hate the sub-human enemy.
It's not surprising that this conditioning, in normal or sensitive individuals, can lead to violation of principles of War, Principles of life, and what was once the basic American morality.

Early in the war with Iraq, Jessica Lynch was captured by the Iraqis. We were fearful that she would be killed, or humiliated, or mutilated. She wasn't. She was treated with respect. Some of our enemies placed themselves in jeopardy to protect her. She was rescued, and is safe and sound.
But the Americans aren't so moral.
We cut our teeth in Viet nam, with horrible deaths of that region's men and boys, women and children. It has been suggested over and over again that body parts were severed, that women and girls were raped. Our soldiers were coarsened.
Now, within the framework of the Iraqi conflict, suspected terrorists are tortured, not to divulge information, but merely for sport.

Now this:
From the Iraqi Sun:
" Nine dead in continuing violence in Iraq."
"... 22 Apr 2006 More --> Nine dead in continuing violence in Iraq ... bodies of seven Iraqi men who apparently had been kidnapped and tortured in captivity were found in three different ... "
Seven Iraqi men, taken in this ongoing civil war, have been tortured and killed. This must be frightening to our men and women in uniform. They have no way out, nowhere to run, no way home.
This suggests a hypothetical situation. Should the Iraqis commence a policy of torturing our forces to hasten our withdrawal, A policy of "Leave, or you may suffer", "A rag in the mouth to dampen your cries", how will we respond? In kind?
This could get ugly.

Now we are receiving stories daily, it would seem, about brutal murdering of women and children by American troops that far transcend any previous reports. Our self image as a nation, and our status in the world have plummeted beyond our comprehension, all during the Bush presidency.

Bush, like his father before him, who refused to negotiate on the issue of "linkage" , and refuses to acknowledge the Arab proposed multi-national conference at that time, does not posses negotiating skills, and steadfastly refuses to negotiate with either bin Laden, or the Iranian government.

Silence breeds misunderstanding. We have nothing to lose through negotiating, we are not forced to make deals, or concessions. Rather, we might receive some insight, and resolve some misunderstandings, and thereby further the cause of peace.

Nothing cold be worse than the current coarsening of our troops.

Remember, we claim to be the saviors of the world, yet we are corrupt and rampantly immoral. who are we to impose our culture on an independent sovereign Nation? We are like the boy scout who would help the elderly woman across the street. It matters not that she doesn't have a wish to cross that street.

I once told a group of young readers, Imagine a hypothetical situation in which Martians, superior beings from another planet come to our shores. They say, "You promote capital punishment. We opposes capital punishment, and we intend to prevent you from applying it, and to punish you for its previous use.". How does this differ from what we are saying to Saddam?

I am currently involved in a major relocation. After that unpleasantness, I am going to form a group here at 360, hopefully with an international membership. We can receive great insight from those in other nations, Israel, Palestine, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, the list goes on. When the group is formed, you in Lincoln Park Will be terribly welcome to join and participate.

BigbadJohnny

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