A torturer

One of the names of the US soldiers who tortured Iraqis has surfaced: she is 21-year-old Lynndie England from West Virginia. I am ashamed to say that as I read her biography all the politically incorrect stereotypes about the population of West Virginia and the people who live in trailers came to my mind. (Fornication with cousins and sheep, etc.)

The American "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military has often made people suggest that if the military is so afraid of gays they should start using them as a weapon on the off-chance that the enemy military is also afraid of them. The enemy will run in terror when they see a commanding officer telling a group of totally naked gay men: "456th Gay Infantry Assault Batallion! Dicks up! Chaaarge!"

Rumsfeld and all, listen: those were jokes. I was one of the people telling such jokes, and I call tell you: I, as well as, I am sure, most other such jokers, never meant it seriously. Scaring Iraqis with "and if you don't tell us what we want to hear, our women will come and rape you" is not really a good idea. Ditto with men. (I don't think it's known yet whether the person who raped a prisoner with some implement was a woman or a man).

Lynndie and her colleagues are about to find out that while torturing prisoners is despicable, being an amateur torturer and an amateur photographer at the same time can be bad for your military career.

A word of advice, Lynndie: after you get punished and get your dishonorable discharge, there is a great new career opportunity for you. You might not have heard about it, but there are men who would actually pay you decent money for stripping them, humiliating them and keeping them on a leash. And it's even legal in parts of Nevada. You have just gotten so much free publicity - don't waste the opportunity.