As you’ve no doubt read elsewhere, Army Spc. Charles Graner, the grinning goon in many of the digitial photos documenting the degradation of prisoners at Baghad’s Abu Ghrabib, was sentenced to 10 years in the brig following his court martial earlier this week.
Graner, whose “I was only following orders” defense is not unique in atrocity cases, is of course, the fall guy in this sordid episode, and it doesn’t seem right that the Secretary of Defense and Commander In Chief have emerged relatively unscathed (though a much larger jury pool already blew a chance to do something about it).
While it might be unrealistic to expect contrition from Graner, it’s a bit much for his dad to claim that the offending photographs were actually designed to call attention to the abuses, just as his mother’s insistince that Graner is “still a hero” illustrates that for some, the Iraqi prisoners are still considered a little less than human.
A Washington Post article from last June details some of the allegations against Graner that predate his second tour of duty in the U.S. Army ; that Graner honed his skills in prisoner abuse while working as a corrections officer in Pennsylvania. Presuming there’s anything admirable about beating inmates, spitting in their food or writing “KKK” in one prisoner’s blood, it makes sense that Mrs. Graner thinks her son is “still a hero”. I’m not sure which is more mindblowing, Graner’s sadistic acts or the utter lack of shame shown by his apologists.
Hollywood Update – I have just optioned Graner’s life rights and am currently writing a rough draft of ‘Still A Hero: The Charles Graner Story’. It’ll be the inspiring tale of a military man who did what he had to do to preserve OUR FREEDOM back here in America.
Fingers crossed for casting… thinking of a young Robert Patrick? Or the guy who played the psychotic general in ‘Day of the Dead’?
Thoughts/investors appreciated –
Tommy Hoops
How about Tom Sizemore?
How about Holly Hunter with billy bob teeth in for Lindy England with a cameo by Alec Baldwin as Don Rumsfeld?
I think double H is an awesome actress, but I think she’s a bit long in the tooth to play the part of Lyndie E.
Im leaning towards Sizemore right now, although I think he might not be intense/menacing enough.
I saw Graner’s parents on a morning news show, talking about how their son was doing that stuff to ‘the bad guys’, etc. The apple doesnt fall far from the tree.
Tommy
hey, they love their son. they’re standing up for him. whatever. But we’re talking about some pretty sick shit, smoking-gun type evidence, captives and colleagues characterizing Graner as a thug….and a laundry list of similar charges on U.S. soil committed against Americans.
Much as they want to mount some sort of defense of their son, I’m suprised there isn’t a more palpable sense of shame.