Survey: 1/3 of army approves of torture
An army survey found that less than half the troops in Iraq think Iraqi civilians should be treated with dignity and respect, and more than a third believed that torture was acceptable if it helped get information about the insurgents.
About 10% of those surveyed said they had actually mistreated Iraqi civilians by hitting or kicking them, or had damaged their property when it was not necessary to do so.
The survey, by an army mental health advisory team, sampled more than 1,700 soldiers and marines between August and October 2006.
Troops suffering from anxiety, depression or stress were more likely to engage in unethical behaviour, together with those who had had a colleague wounded or killed in their unit.
Those deployed longer than six months, or who had been to Iraq several times, were more likely to suffer from mental health problems.
But presently thousands of extra troops are being sent to Iraq as part of an offensive to try to curb the insurgency by October.
Tours are being extended, and units that do go home are being allowed less time to recover before being sent back.
bbc
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