COMMENT For the second time, photographs of British soldiers abusing Iraqi detainees have become public - this time, with no doubt about their authenticity. The images raise some of the same questions asked in connection with US abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. Meanwhile, proposals to repatriate some foreign terrorist suspects held in Britain show the government still unwilling to uphold its obligations under national and international law.
The photographs have shocked Britain and will cause outrage in the Arab world and far beyond. The events pictured date from the first weeks of the occupation, when security forces struggled to contain looting. One of the questions that must be answered is whether shortage of personnel was a cause - as it was a contributory factor at Abu Ghraib. If overstretched soldiers were responsible, those who ordered them into battle must explain why.
