I read an interview in a Norwegian paper today with people from Lynndie England's hometown today, and was shocked at some of the things that were said. Here is the text for those of you who might understand it, and I'll translate it as well.
http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=226941
Oppe i bakken nord for veikrysset som er midtpunktet i byen, har Pat Streett (64) loppemarked utenfor verandaen. Hagen er fylt med gamle leker og krimskrams.
Over henne henger syv amerikanske flagg. Pat kaller seg «en amerikansk patriot» og mener mediedekningen av sjokkbildene er motbydelig.
Ikke bildene i seg selv.
- Nei, jeg ville gjort akkurat det samme som Lynndie og de andre. Det var araberne som angrep oss først her i USA. Nå får de tilbake med samme mynt. Og dere i mediene bare ødelegger alt, freser Pat og vifter med pekefingeren truende nær oss.
- Så du synes tortur og overgrep er greit?
- Lynndie forsvarer landet sitt. Hun kjempet for USA. Det er øye for øye, sier Pat Streett.
- Ja, og tann for tann, fortsetter sønnen Mark Schriver, i bar overkropp og med ølboksen i neven.
Up on the hill north of the intersection that is the center of the town you can find Pat Street (64) and her yard sale. Her garden is filled with old toys and other items.
Above her hangs seven American flags. Pat calls herself "an American patriot", and thinks the media coverage of the torture pictures is disgusting.
Not the pictures themself.
- "No I would have done the same thing Lynndie and the others did. The Arabs attacked us first here in the USA. Now they are repaid with the same coin. And you guys in the media only ruin everything", an angry Pat says and shakes her finger threateningly at us.
- "So you think torture and abuses are ok?"
- "Lynndie defended her country. She fought for the USA. It's an eye for an eye", says Pat Streett.
- "Yes, and tooth for a tooth", says her son Mark Schriver, bare chested with a beercan in his hand.
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I realize that these are not the opinions of Americans in general, but they do exist. Which is damn scary imho, and works as an example of why the world is not exactly in love with the US atm. Also read an interview with a Middle East expert (who supported the war 100% and claim that getting rid of Hussein was well worth it) who is worried that these pictures might have blown away any chance of winning over the population in Iraq. I hope he is incorrect, but have read a lot of what he has written up through the years and he knows his stuff.