Jay the ignorant

Jay Stephenson, who has already proven himself to be a liar, makes some snarky comments about recently released reports detailing abuse of prisoners by the US military. Let’s examine just how ignorant Jay proves himself to be.

To start with, Jay gets the most basic details of the reports wrong. He claims (with evident sarcasm) that the documents reveal the “horrible terror techniques of our ‘evil’ military at Gitmo”, when in fact the reports do not examine allegations of detainee abuse at Guantanamo Bay at all. The AP story that Jay links to makes this crystal clear

[The documents] included two major reports – one by Army Brig. Gen. Richard Formica on specials operations forces in Iraq and one by Brig. Gen. Charles Jacoby on Afghanistan detainees.

Note that Jay must have read this story, because he quotes the sentence immediately preceding. Gawd DAMN, Jay, how willfully blind ignorant can one man be?

What else is Jay ignoring? Well, the FOIA request filed by the ACLU [PDF] has unearthed quite a few documents relating to detainee abuse, at Guantanamo and elsewhere. I seriously doubt that Jay Stephenson has bothered to look at a single one of these documents. Have you, Jay?

And what do these documents tell us? Well, for one thing, they show that our military is doing far worse than torturing prisoners. Murder is being committed in our name.

Description of record: Multiple blunt force injuries. Abrasion in upper right forehead. Abrasion on right lower forehead above eyebrow. Multiple contusions on right cheek and lower nose, left upper forehead, back of head. Abrasions on chest, lower costal margin. Contusions on arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, upper inner arm, groin, inner thigh, right back of knee and calf, left calf, left lower leg. Cause of death was pulmonary embolism due to blunt force injuries… Manner of death: Homicide

Description of record: Detainee was found unresponsive restrained in his cell. Death was due to blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease.Contusions and abrasions on forehead, nose, head, behind ear, neck, abdomen, buttock, elbow, thigh, knee, foot, toe, hemorrhage on rib area and leg. Detainee died of blunt force injuries to lower extremities, complicating underlying coronary artery disease. The blunt force injuries to the legs resulted in extensive muscle damage, muscle necrosis and rhabomyolysis. Electrolyte disturbances primarily hyperkalemia (elevated blood potassium level) and metabolic acidosis can occur within hours of muscle damage. Massive sodium and water shifts occur, resulting in hypovolemic shock and casodilatation and later, acute renal failure. The decedent’s underlying coronary artery disease would compromise his ability to tolerate the electrolyte and fluid abnormalities, and his underlying malnutrition and likely dehydration would further exacerbate the effects of the muscle damage… Manner of death: Homicide

Description of record: Died as a result of asphyxia (lack of oxygen to the brain) due to strangulation as evidenced by the recently fractured hyoid bone in the neck and soft tissue hemorrhage extending downward to the level of the right thyroid cartilage. Autopsy reveleaved bone fracture, rib fractures, contusions in mid abdomen, back and buttocks extending to the left flank, abrasions, lateral buttocks. Contusions, back of legs and knees; abrasions on knees, left fingers and encircling to left wrist. Lacerations and superficial cuts, right 4th and 5th fingers. Also, blunt force injuries, predominatnly recent contusions (bruises) on the torso and lower extremities. Abrasions on left wrist are consistent with use of restraints. No evidence of defense injuries or natural disease…. Manner of death: Homicide

• Do you believe, Jay, that tying up prisoners and murdering them is an acceptable tactic in wartime?
• Is murder a useful means of gathering intelligence?
• Does the fact that they have committed murder reflect well upon the honor and discipline of our troops?

It will be astonishing if Jay Stephenson musters up the guts to answer those questions. Go ahead, Jay, surprise us.

It is not possible to hold a rational discussion of US policy without the facts. But Jay Stephenson doesn’t want the facts, and indeed it appears that he actively avoids learning the facts. He prefers to conduct his ‘discussion’ solely on the basis of his own ignorance, prejudice, and hatred.