Friday, October 13, 2006

Republican Congressman: 'Abu Ghraib abuses were sex ring'

Rep Chris Shays of Connecticut, speaking about the torture in the Abu Ghraib facility (for which soldiers have been convicted, Shays), actually had the audacity to say that what happened was about 'pornography' and a 'sex ring'. Not only that, he erroneously blamed it on the National Guard.

"Now I've seen what happened in Abu Ghraib, and Abu Ghraib was not torture," Shays said at a debate Wednesday.

"It was outrageous, outrageous involvement of National Guard troops from (Maryland) who were involved in a sex ring and they took pictures of soldiers who were naked," added Shays. "And they did other things that were just outrageous. But it wasn't torture."

Then he tried to backtrack, unsuccessfully:

Shays said Friday he wished he had more fully explained his views at the debate.

"I was maybe not as expansive as I needed to be," he said. "Of course, the degrading of anyone is torture. We need to deal with it."

Shays said his debate comments reflected the disturbing photos he has seen of Abu Ghraib abuses: "Naked Iraqis, naked Americans, Americans having sex ... gross and despicable pictures."

Nakedness...sex...that's what he saw that convinced him that the torture was all about this supposed 'sex ring' and 'pornography'. Did he miss the pictures of detainees flinching from the dogs that were placed right in front of their faces? Or the infamous picture of the hooded prisoner who had electrodes attached to him? Or the detainee who fucking died? Does this look like a bloody 'sex ring', Shays? (Caution: last link not safe for work/contains Abu Ghraib torture photos).

Is it any wonder that he and his congressional, torture supporting buddies from both parties voted to allow their president to choose whatever torture techniques he wants to? After all, it's just about sex, right?

How utterly blind and in denial does one have to be to not see that what happened to the prisoners at Abu Ghraib was one of the grossest violations of human rights?

Contact Chris Shays and let him know exactly what you think about his ignorant remarks and, if you're an American, support his Democratic opponent Diane Farell.

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