The Interior Ministry said Tuesday that it had brought the first-ever charges of torture against members of the Iraqi police, who are accused of close ties to the Shiite death squads whose daily abductions and killings fuel the sectarian violence convulsing the country.
I know what some will think. The torture chambers are simply reopened under new management. And this is true--but for a couple minor differences:
One, under Saddam the number of police guilty of torture would be about 57,000 instead of 57.
Two, under Saddam the police would be given commendations and rewards rather than facing trial under the rule of law.
Three, under Saddam the torture victims would have been Shias and Kurds for the most part.
And four, under Saddam the Western press would not have reported anything so access-harming as Baathist crimes.
So other than these admittedly minor differences, nothing much has changed since spring 2003. It's almost like our destruction of the Saddam regime accomplished nothing, eh?
