Some of the pictures we've seen and some of the torture of captives in Iraq
that we've read and heard about has been blamed on a small number of
sadistic soldiers and guards.
But there's one part of the story now being told by those recently released
from captivity which puts a lie to that interpretation. And that is the
fact that while they were captive, they were almost routinely moved from
one location to another, sometimes as far as from Baghdad to Basra.
Transporting captives isn't done on a whim. Organizing transport,
providing an escort and adjusting supplies to increasing and decreasing
numbers requires a certain level of organizational support from the
military administration. In other words, the management of the captives
provides clear evidence that the large number of innocents rounded up
didn't suffer abuse just because the system was over-whelmed and someone
forgot they were there.
they are referred to by the purveyor of this kind of gear, aren't something
the soldiers just happened to tuck in their bags. No, those were standard
issue hoods, bought right off the shelf in bulk by purchasing agents who
anticipated their use.
The capture of thousands of Iraqi was obviously part of the plan. They may
not have planned for the over forty thousand that have gone through the
mill so far, but the American military had a plan; that plan was carried
out; and the taking of captives was part of it.