England to be Sentenced for Detainee Abuse
FORT HOOD, Texas - Lynndie England's case moves to the sentencing phase today. She was convicted yesterday of taking part in abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. She faces up to nine years in prison.
Army Pfc. England, the 22-year-old reservist who appeared in photos smirking amid naked prisoners at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, stood at attention as she learned of her conviction.
-snip-
England became the most recognizable of the nine Abu Ghraib soldiers charged in the prison scandal after photos showing her with a naked detainee on a leash and pointing to detainees in other demeaning poses became public.
Her trial was the last in the scandal; two other soldiers were convicted in trials and six made plea deals. Several of those soldiers testified at England's trial.
Prosecutors used graphic photos of England to support their contention that she was a key figure in the abuse conspiracy, a scandal that badly damaged the United States' image in the Muslim world despite quick condemnation of the abuse by
President Bush.
So, she was the most recognizable soldier, and somehow became a "key figure." I don't deny that England deserves to be punished for what she did, but doesn't this stink of scapegoat-ism? Punish the person that most Americans will recongnize from a photo, and suddenly everything is taken care of.
Meanwhile, the most recognizable face from the whole mess is getting off scott free.
How long will it be before we start having real investigations into the activities of the very tippy-top of the Bush administration? They're obviously guilty as sin, and yet remain untouchable. No wonder blogging is starting to give me migraines.
(Cross-post, you've got the cutest little baby face...)
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