NationStates Jolt Archive

An Abu Ghraib Offender Heads Back to Iraq
Exclusive: A military dog handler convicted for his role in the prisoner abuse scandal has been ordered back to help train the country's police
By ADAM ZAGORIN

Posted Thursday, Nov. 02, 2006
As if the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal weren't bad enough for America's image in the Middle East, now it may appear to much of the world that one of the men implicated in the scandal is returning to the scene of the crime.

The U.S. military tells TIME that one of the soldiers convicted for his role in Abu Ghraib, having served his sentence, has just been sent back to serve in Iraq.

Sgt. Santos Cardona, 32, a military policeman from Fullerton, Calif., served in 2003 and 2004 at Abu Ghraib as a military dog handler. After pictures of Cardona using the animal to threaten Iraqis were made public, he was convicted in May of dereliction of duty and aggravated assault, the equivalent of a felony in the U.S. civilian justice system. The prosecution demanded prison time, but a military judge instead imposed a fine and reduction in rank. Though Cardona was not put behind bars, he was also required to serve 90 days of hard labor at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

(article continues: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1554326-1,00.html)

This action is very dangerous. Not only does it further degrade the international image of the US and the US military, but it presents a clear and present danger to both the serviceman (who has served his time - we can rehash the justice of his sentence elsewhere) and to his unit.

That he is to be training Iraqi police is indeed offensive.

Wow. That is one of the dumbest things I've heard of recently.
I'm all for giving people second chances once they've done their time, but that is so dumb I feel forced to use (for the first time ever I might add) the :headbang: smiley.

WTF were they thinking when they made that decision?

Doesn't matter if this guy's the best dog trainer in the World, it's handing a huge proporganda coup to the insurgents. Just know whose face they'll be using on their recruitment posters.

(article continues: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1554326-1,00.html)

This action is very dangerous. Not only does it further degrade the international image of the US and the US military, but it presents a clear and present danger to both the serviceman (who has served his time - we can rehash the justice of his sentence elsewhere) and to his unit.

That he is to be training Iraqi police is indeed offensive.


do unto others as one would do unto you(can you tell i am roman catholic?)
it sounds shitty,but i dont give a shit,they behead our people,in the name of god..lol...so the least we can do is toss em back.

unless the more altruistic amongst us would change places.

somehow how i doubt it...whats good for the goose is not good for the gander...unless it is bashing america..lol...

what a double standard,they can behead us and their own,we make an error...we are terrible...get a grip.


go play kissy face with the terrs,tell them how much america/west sucks,then see how you will do...you should pay more to your idiot proffesors.
well your parents pay..my bad.

what a double standard,they can behead us and their own,we make an error...we are terrible...get a grip.
You know, the world is a bit more complex than "us vs them" sometimes.

do unto others as one would do unto you(can you tell i am roman catholic?)
it sounds shitty,but i dont give a shit,they behead our people,in the name of god..lol...so the least we can do is toss em back.

unless the more altruistic amongst us would change places.

somehow how i doubt it...whats good for the goose is not good for the gander...unless it is bashing america..lol...

what a double standard,they can behead us and their own,we make an error...we are terrible...get a grip.


go play kissy face with the terrs,tell them how much america/west sucks,then see how you will do...you should pay more to your idiot proffesors.
well your parents pay..my bad.
surreee..:rolleyes:
And of course no-one over there will get angry enough to pick up a gun and join the insurgents when they hear this guy's coming back to train the police force into how to use dogs against Iraqis.

Cause the world is simple black and white isn't it?

Yeah, AJ seems a bit... dense, in this subject.

He'll be training the Iraqi troops. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say none of them have beheaded any Americans lately.

It's kinda like if Hitler was going to daven(sp?) for a congregation at schul. He's a known bastard to their culture, no matter how effective his words may be.

Yeah, AJ seems a bit... dense, in this subject.

He'll be training the Iraqi troops. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and say none of them have beheaded any Americans lately.

It's kinda like if Hitler was going to daven(sp?) for a congregation at schul. He's a known bastard to their culture, no matter how effective his words may be.
Godwin!! And it's only the 5th reply ;)

do unto others as one would do unto you(can you tell i am roman catholic?)

it sounds shitty,but i dont give a shit,they behead our people,in the name of god..lol...so the least we can do is toss em back.

unless the more altruistic amongst us would change places.

somehow how i doubt it...whats good for the goose is not good for the gander...unless it is bashing america..lol...

what a double standard,they can behead us and their own,we make an error...we are terrible...get a grip.

Commiting war crimes is bad. Somebody commited a war crime against us. Lets go commit some of ourr own. That's not good logic.

go play kissy face with the terrs,tell them how much america/west sucks,then see how you will do...you should pay more to your idiot proffesors.
well your parents pay..my bad.

That's just WTF? :confused:

AJ, would you want your son serving in a unit that you know will be heavily targeted specifically because this guy was in it? I know I wouldn't. His presence is a danger to his unit. He should NOT be there.

AJ, would you want your son serving in a unit that you know will be heavily targeted specifically because this guy was in it? I know I wouldn't. His presence is a danger to his unit. He should be there.
I think you mean he shouldn't be there.

Mr Grammar-Pedant to the rescue!!!

I think you mean he shouldn't be there.

Mr Grammar-Pedant to the rescue!!!

Errr.... maybe I want the others in his unit to be in even greater danger?

;)

(editing)

do unto others as one would do unto you(can you tell i am roman catholic?)
.
You don't understand what this means. I used to be a Roman Catholic. It means do to others what you would have them do to you. It means giving backrubs, not beheadings. If they behead you, then you are supposed to turn your other head.

(article continues: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1554326-1,00.html)

This action is very dangerous. Not only does it further degrade the international image of the US and the US military, but it presents a clear and present danger to both the serviceman (who has served his time - we can rehash the justice of his sentence elsewhere) and to his unit.

That he is to be training Iraqi police is indeed offensive.
Agreed!! This does not look good for the US or the Iraqi government.