I was referring to the fact that among the murdered were an Iraqi military officer, an Iraqi general, an Iraqi who shot 2 Marines, a prisoner who shot rocks at guards.
I think nearly all of mushroomville would agree that, as such, these "detainees" deserved what they got and a nice chunk of non-mushroomville will likely agree, as well. (remember, mushroomville are people who are recalcitrant and really do believe that the photos are about hazing and making prisoners listen to Perry Como (I shit you not. :)
Jeffrey Fisher and I briefly talked about this at pulp culture's list the other day. I think there is a sentiment out there that isn't a wretched as the mushroom sentiment, "Parking lot 'em. They're barbarians!" It is more palatable: "Let's get the hell out of there. They're barbarians and don't appreciate our efforts."
Here's a good example of what I mean:
http://techcentralstation.com/051304A.html <...> Right now the Middle American psyche is being overwhelmed with reasons to hate the entire Arab world; and yet the Bush administration insists that we are in Iraq to help the Arabs. Unfortunately, the administration seems to be completely unaware of how sick and tired of Arabs the average American has become, unaware because it is politically incorrect to express such sentiments of outright hostility: but what is politically incorrect to express is all too often the motive force behind those sudden and spontaneous movements of the popular psyche that only seemed to come from nowhere because they came from a place unfamiliar to most pundits and paid prophets, namely, the gut level feelings of the average guy.
Many Americans simply wish the Arabs would go away; others wish to blow them away -- and wish to blow them away not because they see this step as inevitable and tragic, but because they rejoice at the prospect of getting them back for what they have done to us. Most normal Americans today just don't care any more about the Arabs and their welfare, or about their humiliation, or about their historical grievances, simply because all the images that come to us from their world horrify and appall us, including the disturbing images of Americans doing things that no normal American would ever dream of doing to other people back at home, if only because they would never be given the opportunity.
This is how most normal Americans now feel, but they dare not express it in public. But make no mistake, this feeling will be expressed -- somehow, somewhere: a fact of which our leaders and the world must be made aware before it occurs.
Kelley