Abu Ghraib prison is to be demolished. Obviously, I welcome this news and hope that this symbolic measure will be accompanied by the substantive changes it should represent, including the abandonment of the policy of detention without trial.
Abu Ghraib prison is to be demolished. Obviously, I welcome this news and hope that this symbolic measure will be accompanied by the substantive changes it should represent, including the abandonment of the policy of detention without trial.
You shouldn’t welcome this news. It will be received as yet one more example of the Americans remaking Iraqi life. As with toppling those statues, the message will be “USA was here”.
The eventual demolition (or otherwise) will only be received positively if it is done – or not done – freely by Iraqis.
I would have preferred something abandoning the practices used at Abu Ghraib, but this is welcome.
They actually say they will erect a modern prison in its place. Not reassuring really. Victorians will get the Jika Jika association.
If I remember rightly, the Place de la Concorde is on the site of the original Bastille. That’s more like symbolism.