A Redemption Deferred – Abu Ghraib Redux

How do I feel about this story? My first reaction was extreme irritation at the embarrassingly flimsy excuses offered by this administration as to why they continue to fight the release of the full record of photographic and video evidence from Abu Ghraib. Excuses which (e.g., worries about the privacy of violated detainees or a fear of increasing violence against our troops) increasingly sound suspiciously like the exploitation of valid concerns to cover their collective ass (Gee honey, don’t you see that by telling you everything about my involvement with that child sex trafficking ring, we would just be damaging our marriage and traumatizing our kids?). This lack of trust has only succeeded in reinforcing the domestic perception of a dismissive contempt for “We the people”, as well as worsening the damage to our already shaky credibility abroad.

So what were they thinking? I suspect the presence of a widespread, and fundamentally faulty, strategic belief: I can win by not losing. This administration doesn’t want to lose, but seems unable or unwilling to grasp what it would take to win. They mistakenly believe that they can “win” good public opinion by “managing” public perceptions through hiding ugly truths and overstating good intentions. However, the fatal flaw is that “managing perceptions” in this way is merely an exercise in amoral manipulation which, when recognized, inevitably engenders widespread resentment and distrust. Even worse, those who consistently rely on this strategy consistently fail to recognize golden opportunities that can exist in the midst of horrifying scandals.

Where might we find such an opportunity in the horror of Abu Ghraib? Step 5 of the AA 12 Steps states, “We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” America needs to see all of the evidence of what happened in our name. We must always be willing to unflinchingly face the very worst in ourselves, reject excuses, and take full responsibility. We should be our own harshest critics, always willing to make amends to those we have offended by admitting the truth and correcting our mistakes. In so doing we would reinforce and strengthen our values here at home and demonstrate to the world an unparalleled commitment to becoming Reagan’s shining city on a hill. If that means standing naked before the world and receiving a harsh judgment for our crimes and our failures, then so be it. In the long run, we will be stronger for it.

That is how you send the message to future Charles Graners and Lyndie Englands (not to mention those unidentified higher-ups who either encouraged or allowed this to happen) that this behavior is unacceptable for an American and for a decent human being. That is how you begin to restore public trust and confidence. That is how you take the first step on the road to redemption.