How many of these gags will hold?
I've just read that over the course of four days this past week approximately 1,000 detainees have technically been released from Abu Ghraib, though many of them had actually been held in other, unspecified detention centers, but brought to Abu Ghraib for release.
The section of the US military statement concerning those released has me wondering:
"Those chosen for release are not guilty of serious, violent crimes such as bombing, torture, kidnapping, or murder. All have admitted their crimes, renounced violence, and pledged to be good citizens of a democratic Iraq,"
How many of them had to sign things that say things they don't agree with, and how binding this "pledge" is supposed to be. Are there strings set to yank them back? How quiet will 1,000 people really be? It'll be interesting to listen. Also, is the move to release them through the gates (fencing, whatever) of Abu Ghraib despite many of them never having heen held there, a calculated move in the face of the push to release all the additional images held back the first time from the abuse scandal? Given the military's statement they're releasing essentially non-violent detainees. Probably people who were picked up initially on suspicion, or very likely just out trying to scavenge something to keep themselves and their families alive. I'd love to see how boilerplate the "confessions" were. Most people would likely sign anything that would allow them to go home, and now they each have criminal records -- something I have little doubt was made clear to them would make any more behavior not that of "good citizens" something that would weigh heavily against them.
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(*What would Ed Anger say?)