First Woman To Die in The Current Iraq Conflict Killed Herself

And you'll never guess why. This is one of the more depressing stories I've come across over the past couple of days. Maybe that's because I haven't had much time to read the news, but there's just something so sad to me about a woman killing herself. Here's how DemocracyNow.org reported the story yesterday in the headlines portion of their podcast:

Army Spc. Took Own Life After Objecting to Interrogations An Arizona public radio station has uncovered new details on the death of one of the first female US soldiers to die in the Iraq war. KNAU Radio reports Army Specialist Alyssa Peterson took her on own life after objecting to interrogation techniques used on Iraqi prisoners. Peterson was assigned to a US air base in Tal-Afar. She died on September 15, 2003 from what the military called a “non-hostile weapons discharge.” But newly uncovered documents say investigators actually concluded Peterson shot and killed herself with her service rifle. The documents also show Peterson’s death came after she refused to take part in further interrogations after just two days. Military officials refused to describe what techniques Peterson had objected to and said all records of them had been destroyed. Specialist Peterson was twenty-seven years old.

Doesn't that just fill your heart with JOY? Jesus--that was WAY BEFORE all this Abu Ghraib shit came out in the open. It's a true shame she felt so pressured. I'd like to personally commend those soldiers around and above her who made her think she had no option but to treat prisoners like shit. I'd like to congratulate them on their supreme ability to make a young woman think her only options were to be cruel to another human or to kill herself. I'd also like to ask Army Specialist Alyssa Peterson why she didn't get more clever. I can only assume that she was just that desperate. That's the real shame because if she had spoken out about the cruel treatment of prisoners in Iraq instead of killing herself she would have revealed the US military's poor treatment of prisoners more than six months before the Abu Ghraib story would break. I'm sure had she done that, she'd have saved at least a couple of lives and maybe even some human dignity. Here's hoping any other people who have witnessed something that should NOT be happening speak out instead of ending their life. Suicide helps no one but yourself.

---

Orignal From: First Woman To Die in The Current Iraq Conflict Killed Herself