The plea bargain made last week by U.S. Marine John Jodka III in the killing of an Iraqi civilian highlights an often-overlooked element of winning the war on terror. The United States must hold itself to the highest standard of conduct, and swiftly remedy any violations of these standards if it is to lay claim to the moral legitimacy of its efforts in the fight against international terrorism.
In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, President George W. Bush declared a “crusade” — a war between good and evil — against the perpetrators of the attacks. The vast majority of American soldiers have upheld these ideals, serving their country with honor. However, some have tarnished the moral clarity of our efforts by allegedly committing incidents such as the Hamdania killing, the Haditha massacre of 24 Iraqi civilians and the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Mamudiyah, inciting outrage among Iraqis and Americans alike. Terrorists have even used these incidents to justify their own atrocities, executing and mutilating two U.S. soldiers in retaliation for the Mamudiyah incident.
Some have attempted to defend the actions of the soldiers behind these crimes. One marine injured in the attack that led to the Haditha killings said that half of the civilians killed probably provided support for the terrorists. Even if this was the case, killing civilians on the streets violates the basic laws of war and puts America on the same level as the terrorists.
If we are to say that one “crusader infidel” (as terrorists have referred to Americans in public statements) is not the same as another, then we must not do the same to Iraqi civilians. If American civilians are in a different category from American soldiers, then Iraqi civilians must be in a different category than terrorists.
Treating Iraqis how we wish to be treated goes far beyond applying the golden rule on an international scale. As the self-styled defender of the free world, the United States must embody the principles of modern Western civilization. The rule of law, and the equality of everyone before it, is a principle that we must practice, not just talk about.
American soldiers accused of committing atrocities must face the same legal process as terrorists accused of committing similar crimes. The accused, no matter who they are, must not enjoy special protections or fail to receive due process before the law. While the outcomes of each specific case may be different, it is important to American credibility that we do not give our own people a pass when accused of committing crimes, while automatically assuming the guilt of an accused person who is not one of ours.
Conversely, the United States must hold itself to a higher standard of conduct than that of its enemies. If this is truly supposed to be a war between good and evil, and not just one evil fighting another, we cannot compare ourselves to the forces that wish to regress the world back to the Dark Ages.
It is not enough to say that we are not as evil as they are; we must prove without a doubt that we are worthy of the task before us. If we are to believe that terrorists are barbaric for conducting violence against civilians, then we must not debase ourselves by justifying the performance of similar actions with our opponent’s conduct.
The war on terror, ironically referred to as the “Long War” in some Republican circles, will sorely tax our society. We will undoubtedly witness terrorists committing further savage acts of hatred.
For the victims of these actions, such as our soldiers in Iraq, the desire to strike back will undoubtedly be strong. However, we must remember that there is more at stake in this war than just the lives of those on the battlefield.
Our conduct in this war will shape the very nature of our society. If we commit and justify atrocities against other people in the name of liberty, then we must question whether our liberty is worth having.