Racism and War: The Dehumanization of the Enemy: Part Two

Joshua Casted - Chair
Army Intelligence interrogator at Abu Ghraib
"Moral slippery slopes have to go from top to bottom not bottom to top."
Joshua was briefed by Col Geoffery Miller about how all "Non-democratic" persons were considered the enemy, effectively separating the Iraqi populace from American forces.

2:05: Andrew Duffy - Served as medic in Iraq at Abu Ghraib
Request for insulin for a 23 year old diabetic detainee was denied twice. The detainee eventually died and the command denied that they had refused treatment and the commander who had denied treatment remained in charge of of the night shift medics at Abu ghraib.
Andrew described a sargent at Abugrhaib

2:17: Mike Prysner - Served in Iraq - here is his story on the ANSWER website
Use of racist words such as "Sand nigger", "Haji" started at the top of the command. The Haj is the pilgrimage to Mecca and a Haji is one who has made the pilgrimage.
Ordered to remove families from their houses with no alternatives offered.
Served as an interrogator - described a prisoner who kept collapsing - after a Sargent came along and slammed his head against the wall. Mike would then let the man sit until the sargent came back and he realized he was now protecting this man form his unit instead of protecting his unit from the man.
The wealth of our rulers depend upon their ability to convince the soldier to suffer and hate and die in an occupation that insures their ability to increase that wealth. "We have more in common with the Iraqi people than we do with our rulers that send us to war."
The enemy is the profit system that turns us out of our homes, ships our jobs over seas, send us to war, denies us health care. It is not 5000 miles away but right here at home.

Chris Arendt - Army National Guard form Michigan - his family was poor- joined for school - has yet to receive any help for school.

"I want to tell you what it is like to become a concentration camp guard

without ever knowing what is happening"

His artillery unit got sent to Guantanamo Bay to serve as prison guards. They received one month of training.
Was a 19 year old guard in Camp Delta - papers, numbers, shackles and keys had to be accounted for. He dispatched detainee movements. Chris described how some detainees were shackled to the floor in 10-20 degree temperatures with loud music playing for the length of his 12 - 13 shift. He discusses what is and is not touture and how the system works or does not work.

Geoff Millard -
Geoff heard the use of the word Haji form General Casey, top commander in Iraq, while he was serving in Iraq and he heard it used by other generals as well. He states that the use of racist words to describe civilians comes formthe type down. Sargent Miller attended a briefing on the death of 4 Iraqis including a 4 year old boy and a 3 year old girl who were shot at a check point. He heard the colonel describe this ded family as "f#@ Hajis who needed to learn to drive"

2:45: Domingo Rosas - was stationed in El Anbar Province at Tiger Camp. He was put in charge of a detainee center. One Iraqi general who was in good health while in his custody, died during interrogation. His 14 year old son was also detained and was taken away to identify his father's body.

2:55: Christian Appy - Historian on Vietnam era
He said that the veterans testimony brings hope to him personally and to the anti-war movement as a whole.
Racism is an undeniable factor in this war but is rarely covered in the media. Although racism has deep roots it invariably comes from the top because it needs to have sanction from the top of the government.
The jeopardy our military is paced in is both physical and moral and psychological. We are all tainted by this war - not just the veterans. War brutalizes us all.

3:10pm: Dr Dahlia Wasifi M.D.
Dahlia is a child of an Arab father for Basra and a Jewish mother form New York City.
The participants here today hare heros not because they pick up a gun but because they put it down"
Racism - denial of humanity - do not respect them as human beings -
Vietnams- Names (gooks) - 3millin plus - Iraq - Names (Haji) - 1 million plus - they are disposable.
Illegal immigrants can have their citizenship processes speeded up?
"We have to stay and help"
300 years (USA) 7000 years of civilization (Iraq)
Agneda - US relationship with Israel - Occupation ofIraq - is an extension of the occupation of Palestine
"...do you know what Iraqis are saying? I don’t speak Arabic, but I can translate for you. They’re saying, “Get out!” They’re saying, “NO way - you’re staying for 60 years.” They’re saying, “Get your oil the old-fashioned way - pay for it!”