MoD Pays Out Millions to Iraqi Torture Victims

The Ministry of Defence has paid out £14m in compensation and costs to hundreds of Iraqis who complained that they were illegally detained and tortured by British forces during the five-year occupation of the south-east of the country.

Hundreds more claims are in the pipeline as Iraqis become aware that they are able to bring proceedings against the UK authorities in the London courts.

The MoD says it is investigating every allegation of abuse that has been made, adding that the majority of British servicemen and women deployed to Iraq conducted themselves “with the highest standards of integrity”.

However, human rights groups and lawyers representing former prisoners say that the abuse was systemic, with military interrogators and guards responsible for the mistreatment acting in accordance with both their training in the UK and orders issued in Iraq.

It seems to me, strictly based on personal experience, that the English are much more concerned with their global reputation than we are in the United States. One explanation which I’m sure my brother would make is “The English are pussies in a tiny little country so they have to look reasonable and nice”.

I prefer to think it’s because they are genuinely trying to set an example.