According to MSNBC blogger Eric Alterman, the U.S. detaining Iraqi women who may have information about suspected terrorists is very similar to the kidnaping of journalist Jill Carroll. Alterman, best known for writing books such as "What Liberal Media," wrote the following in his MSNBC blog on January 31st:
"I’d like to congratulate the Bush administration for having the good taste to not make too big a deal about the kidnaping of U.S. journalist Jill Carroll by Iraqi insurgents. Since the Bush administration is in the business of politically kidnaping innocent people too, including the wives of people it wants to surrender. I hate to say it because of all the baggage it carries but it reminds me of the deliberate murder of the innocent Ethel Rosenberg, to try to get a confession out of her husband." (Emphasis added)
Alterman then links to an Al Jazeera story. It might be helpful to look at another, non-Al Jazeera, source on this subject. The Seattle Times, in a January 28th story, reported on the same subject. The article, by Nancy Youssef, quotes Army Spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Johnson as saying:
"We recognize insurgents don't work alone. They work in groups. Questioning certainly focuses on who they are associated with,’ Johnson said. ‘If we believe they have information or an association with terrorist activity, we would make a determination about exactly what that role may be.’"
He also added that the military was detaining only those who were considered threats. Whatever you may think of the this practice, it’s certainly not on the level of the abduction of reporter Jill Carroll, who is under the constant threat of being murdered. The Seattle Times article goes on to interview one Iraqi woman who was detained by U.S. forces.
"She said interrogators questioned her extensively during the first 12 days of her imprisonment but also offered her tea and juice. ‘I was treated in a good way, no torture,’ she said."
So, just to recap, tea and juice given to someone "kidnaped" by the United States makes Eric Alterman think of the "murder" of Ethel Rosenberg.
