Commentary By E.D. Hill Of Fox News

U.S. Soldiers Tortured: Where Is the Outrage?

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

By E.D. Hill

I'm mad.

The New York Times wants Gitmo closed. The San Jose Mercury News claims that Gitmo nurtures a culture of death. The Cleveland Plain Dealer wants Gitmo closed. Journalists and editorial staffs are up in arms that there might possibly be some kind of torture occurring.

So what do they say when torture OBVIOUSLY occurs? How do they react when two U.S. servicemen — in Geneva Convention-approved uniforms — have their hearts cut out, their testicles cut off, their penises cut off and stuffed in their mouths, arms contorted and eyes gouged? THIS is torture.

But WHERE is the outrage? Where is the concern about the Geneva Convention being adhered to? Where is the outrage from the very people we are trying to help? How in the world could the Iraqi government have even contemplated pardoning terrorists who have killed U.S. military members?

Put yourself in the position of a young American serviceman or servicewoman overseas. How would you be able to distinguish in a split second between someone who doesn’t speak English and needs directions, from someone who is hiding a bomb belt and wants to blow you to bits?

We just found out that two servicemen killed in 2004 were not killed in an ambush, as first thought. They were killed by two Iraqis who were supposedly working with us. Yes, our military must be held to high standards, but we also have to view their actions with the perspective of what has happened there. These young military volunteers are basing decisions of when to shoot and when not to shoot on their experience in this specific battlefield. I will give them every benefit of the doubt. It is their life on the line.