What's a Life Worth?

Ever wonder what sort of value the U.S. military puts on the life of a non-U.S. citizen? Well, according to a short piece buried deep within Monday's "Sioux City Journal," the answer is slightly "more than $3,200." That sum was recently levied against a military policeman named Brian E. Cammack who, while serving in Afghanistan, beat a prisoner to death in 2002. For having murdered another human being, he will also be receiving a court martial, a reduction in rank to private, and serve three months in prison.

Now, perhaps its just me, but that doesn't strike me as a penalty worthy of the crime. I mean, where's the real inconvenience for Cammack? $3200?! Big deal, so he'll have to put off buying a decent flatscreen T.V. for another year. And while three months in prison and a court martial might be an embarrassment, it's hardly lethal.

Such abuse is not an isolated case, and, whether we like it or not, the abuse is being done in our name. We, as Americans, should NEVER countenance torture by anyone for any reason.

However, if the U.S. military is simply going to issue another 'slap on the wrist' for such crimes, and if we're bound and determined to keep pissing off the Arabs with such obvious lack of concern for their sensibilities (much less their health and humanity), I say why not really go for broke!

Therefore, in homage to early Eighteenth Century writer Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal," I offer the following [satirical] proposition that might at least allow some "benefit" to accrue the American public (after all, we're footing the bill for this war) from the Bush Administration's ongoing trashing of the Geneva Conventions:

I propose we organize tour groups of "regular" Americans and charge THEM for the privilege of abusing Arab detainees! It'd kind of work like the African safaris of old, except that things would be a bit sandier.

For example, the U.S. government might charge civilian tourists, say, $500 to photograph Arab detainees in their skivvies (with the price tripling if a leash is also involved, or the prisoner in question is Saddam Hussein). They could charge $1200 for photographing simulated sex acts (double the price if the tourists themselves become a part of the tableau). $1500 might well cover both a simulated sex act and a feel good public apologia from Iowa Rep. Steve King that torture American style is 'hardly different from a fraternity hazing.' A good hard beating would be worth at least $2000, with an additional $500 surcharge for beatings that maim or beatings that involve a prisoner actually guilty of a real crime (granted, the latter is a distinction sometimes lost on our military). Finally, a beating that resulted in a death (as in the above real life example) would result in a $3500 windfall for the U.S. treasury. Heck, at those prices we might be able to pay for the war and pay down the national debt at the same time!

Oh yeah, and opportunities to desecrate the Koran could be offered as an "extra" for repeat customers.

It's a "win-win" situation for pretty much everyone but the poor Arab detainees, but it's not like we've demonstrated with much sincerity that We care what happens to Them. After all, note again the measly $3200 penalty imposed on Cammack and the lack of any public outcry over the injustice of it all.

Peace (something I would never treat with such satire or sarcasm),
Historian (born: Ankara, Turkey)