Torture Orders Were Part of U.S. Sectarian War Strategy

[ConsAreLiars]

Analysis by Gareth Porter*

WASHINGTON, Nov 1, 2010 (IPS) - The revelation by Wikileaks of a U.S. military order directing U.S. forces not to investigate cases of torture of detainees by Iraqis has been treated in news reports as yet another case of lack of concern by the U.S. military about detainee abuse.

But the deeper significance of the order, which has been missed by the news media, is that it was part of a larger U.S. strategy of exploiting Shi'a sectarian hatred against Sunnis to help suppress the Sunni insurgency when Sunnis had rejected the U.S. war.

And Gen. David Petraeus was a key figure in developing the strategy of using Shi'a and Kurdish forces to suppress Sunnis in 2004-2005.

The strategy involved the deliberate deployment of Shi'a and Kurdish police commandoes in areas of Sunni insurgency in the full knowledge that they were torturing Sunni detainees, as the reports released by Wikileaks show.
Much more at http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53426

Highly recommended for those reality based readers who want a better understanding of how things work, as well as those who already know about the Phoenix Program in Vietnam and the US Death Squads in Latin America and all the rest of this imperial monster's past and current practices across the planet.

[laconicsax]

1. We're supposed to "move forward," right?

:puke:

[leftstreet]

2. K&R

[laughingliberal]

3. K & R nt

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. The term 'Justice' needs a major face-lift.

If the war criminals remain free to play amongst the waves without recompense, we are to blame. It is the tenet of Democracy to participate in our future.

[Senator]

9. It's had one. Now trading as: JustUs LLC n/t

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. Killed another thread

Never could hold a conversation for long. (btw, cons -- well said!)

[ConsAreLiars]

6. Not at all.

Some of the facts about how things are still working today with Obama as Decider-in-Chief are rather awkward and thus ignored instead of being acknowledged.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

7. Awkward.

A perfect term.

The battle lines are on so many fronts. It is difficult to focus our attention. We are under a full assault. And, that is very uncomfortable... especially if one prefers peace.

[democrank]

8. Bush and Cheney must be so proud

[iamtechus]

10. What did Obama know and when did he know it? n/t

[ConsAreLiars]

11. kick (nt)