Page 147 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

Free Speech Fatalities 137

Political leaders like Condoleeza Rice and Scott McClellan are able to at-
tack the story as "appalling" and having "damaged the image of the United
States" because reporters and editors throughout mass media lack the will to
stand up against administration propaganda. In reality, U.S. forces have an ex-
tensively documented record of mistreating the Koran, as well as engaging in
torture against detainees. That American political leaders could deny such viola-
tions with impunity is more a sign of the lack of independence of media outlets
than an indication of media malfeasance.
By going on the defensive in the Koran flushing "scandal," media reporters
and editors allowed the Bush administration to obscure the U.S. record of tortur-
ing prisoners and desecrating the Koran. While debating minor details regarding
the Koran-flushing charge, pundits missed the larger trend of American forces'
violation of the Geneva Conventions in the Iraq and Afghan wars, as seen in
U.S. human rights abuses. Far from unfounded, the claims of U.S. mistreatment
of prisoners are well documented in recent years. Specifically related to abuse of
the Koran, the Pentagon itself admitted to at least five separate instances of the
U.S. military having "mishandled" the Islamic Holy Book at Guantanamo Bay
prison.'3 Guards have been implicated for writing obscenities inside copies of
the Koran, kicking them across the floor, stepping on them, throwing them at
walls, and tearing them.14 Contrary to Rice's claims, if there is anything "appall-
ing" about the Koran flushing "scandal," it is that the administration was al-
lowed to skirt U.S. responsibility for well-documented mistreatment of the Ko-
ran.
Skepticism toward official denials of mistreatment of prisoners should al-
ways be in order, regardless of the occasional journalistic mistake in citing
sources. In 2002 and 2003, the Red Cross released reports detailing human
rights violations relating to American military personnel's abuse of the ora an.'^
The Red Cross also criticized the U.S. military for behavior that was "tanta-
mount to torture" in its dealings with detainees.16 Any balanced reporting on the
Newsweek "scandal" would need to highlight the armed forces' documented
mistreatment of the Koran in a number of other instances. Sadly, the "scandal"
was not situated within such a reality.
The charges made by human rights organizations against the U.S. military
and the Bush administration are numerous. There have been reports of the use of
dogs to bite Iraqi prisoners. In one instance, sergeants reportedly competed by
using dogs to find out who could scare prisoners more, as dogs were used in
"psychologically breaking [detainees] down."17 Reports of "routine" beating of
Iraqi prisoners by the Army's 82nd Airborne Division have also emerged, as the
abuse was sometimes pursued to "gather intelligence," and at other times simply
for amusement.18
The Bush administration was criticized by human rights groups for author-
izing through Executive Order controversial interrogation tactics including: use
of sleep deprivation, reliance on loud music in "sensory overload," placing de-
tainees into "stress positions," and forcing detainees to strip naked.19 Evidence
of military misconduct and torture by American troops at Abu Ghraib and Guan-
tanamo has emerged throughout the "War on Terror." At the same time, the