Friday, August 11, 2006

Joe Darby: Hero or Terrorist?

There was an interesting article at SF Gate today that talked about Joe Darby as the person who blew the whistle on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. In the article, Darby said that folks in his home town still call him a terrorist rather than a hero. I think that is rather ironic given that his actions seem tremendously heroic to me:
The soldier who triggered the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal by sending incriminating photos to military investigators says he feared deadly retaliation by other GIs and was shocked when Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld mentioned his name at a Senate hearing.

Within days, Joe Darby was spirited out of Iraq at his own request. But his family was besieged by news media, and close relatives called him a traitor. Ultimately he was forced to move away from his hometown in western Maryland.

"I had the choice between what I knew was morally right and my loyalty to other soldiers. I couldn't have it both ways," the 27-year-old military policeman said in the just-released September issue of Gentleman's Quarterly.
This leads me to a quick poll for the weekend. Let's call this...

Windspike's Quickie Poll To Identify Which Side You're On

  • Answer this question: Joe Darby, hero or terrorist? Discuss

5 comments:

pissed off patricia said...

Hero! The real old fashioned kind that sees something wrong and tries to fix it with no regard for himself. Yes indeed, a true hero.

Anonymous said...

Well duh! Like Truman...the buck stopped with Joe.

sumo said...

Hero, hero and more hero! Too bad he had to move...he may have been in fear for his life...which is a sad day when someone is vilified for telling the truth. He might as well have ratted on the mafia for the treatment he got...now that is soooo out of whack...pun intended.

enigma4ever said...

( Windspike please come read my post today- I have aproblem that is effecting my blogroll- and I need to extend deepest aplogies)

frstlymil said...

Hero. He did the right and moral thing, knowing fully well the consequences could turn out to be horrible for him personally. Unfortunately the moral character of others, military and neighbor - turned out to be dreadful - supporters of lawlessness, torture, sexual abuse and the rape of human beings - so indeed and of course, he had to up and move as though the moral and upright person has no place in American society. Sad comment on us isn't it.