Many US soldiers believe abuse of Iraqis OK

"More than one-third of U.S. soldiers in Iraq surveyed by the Army said they believe torture should be allowed if it helps gather important information about insurgents, the Pentagon disclosed yesterday. Four in 10 said they approve of such illegal abuse if it would save the life of a fellow soldier.
In addition, about two-thirds of Marines and half the Army troops surveyed said they would not report a team member for mistreating a civilian or for destroying civilian property unnecessarily. 'Less than half of Soldiers and Marines believed that non-combatants should be treated with dignity and respect,' the Army report stated.
About 10 percent of the 1,767 troops in the official survey -- conducted in Iraq last fall -- reported that they had mistreated civilians in Iraq, such as kicking them or needlessly damaging their possessions.
. . . The study also found that the more often soldiers are deployed, the longer they are deployed each time; and the less time they spend at home, the more likely they are to suffer mental health problems such as combat trauma, anxiety and depression." [1]

"The top U.S. commander in Iraq said Monday he was concerned by a recent survey that concluded many combat troops would not report a member of their unit for killing or wounding an innocent civilian.
Speaking to the annual meeting of The Associated Press, Gen. David Petraeus called for a 'redoubling of our education efforts' to identify potential for abuses among soldiers in Iraq and anticipate problems related to combat stress during extended missions that can last up to 15 months." [2]

sources
[1] Ricks, Thomas E. & Tyson, Ann Scott. (The Washington Post). Troops at Odds With Ethics Standards. May 5, 2007.
[2] Murphy, Brian. (The Associated Press). Petraeus 'Concerned' by Ethics Report. May 7, 2007.

posted: wednesday, may 9, 2007, 10:07 AM ET
update: wednesday, may 9, 2007, 10:11 AM ET

tags: iraq ethics