Over on DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND there's a fascinating article by the Plaid Adder on the situation at Abu Ghraib. I recall mentions of the Stanford Prison Experiment and the well-known Milgram study from my college Psych classes, but it is scary how both mirror what seems to have happened in Iraq.

The article does have a link to the now widely seen pictures, but if you haven't seen them yet (and I don't know how anybody could have watched television the past few days and not seem some) they are disturbing, so be warned.

I was taken aback by the author's comparison of the prison photos to pornography, but upon thinking about the situation find that he (or she, since I don't know the actual identity of the Plaid Adder) does have a valid point. What is the purpose of taking the photographs if not to share with others some disturbing 'thrill'. Brrr Best not to think too much on that!