On Wed, 5 May 2004 13:31:37 +0100, "Keith Willshaw"
wrote:

I doubt it since the actual story was that 25 prisoners
had died in custody, hardly a surprising number given
the total numbers involved and thus far 2 deaths
were confirmed as unlawful, proceedings against those
concerned were under way.

Keith


The convolutions of language make it critical to understand what has
been said. Keith, very correctly, points out the distinction between
"tortured to death" and "died in custody."

Individuals captured in ground combat quite often can be wounded in
the process or even have been wounded in battles prior to the capture.
They can be suffering malnutrition, exposure, disease, etc, not caused
by the battle.

Of the thousands of Iraqis captured, more than half have been released
to return to their homes. Moreover, if only 25 died in captivity this
speaks more of humane treatment and superior medical attention than it
does of torture.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8