Why Lynndie England is a victim of a much larger problem.

Hate.

We all understand what that word means. Many of us can even think of somebody that we hate right now. Some of us are even aware of somebody who hates us.

We need hate. We need it to motivate us to go after those who mean us harm. We need it to bind our people together against the enemy. We need it as an excuse.

As a country we have hated many people, both here and abroad.

In the Revolutionary War we hated the British. They are now our allies.

In the Civil War we hated each other. We seem fine now.

In World War 1 we hated the Germans. We are now at peace with Germany.

In World War 2 we hated the Germans (again) and the Japanese. As previously stated, we get along fine with Germany, as well as Japan.

We have hated the Koreans, the Vietnamese, the Communists, and now we hate the Terrorists. Who are mostly of middle eastern descent.

Soldiers are taught to think of the enemy as less then human. The Japanese become "Japs", Germans are "Krauts" or "Nazi's". In the "War between the States" we were no longer Americans we were "Yanks" and "Rebels". In Vietnam the people were "Charlie". We hated "Charlie"!

We are every good at getting together a good hate. So, little Lynndie England is sent to work in a prison with the enemy. She was taught to hate the enemy. Her boyfriend hated the enemy. What was Lynndie to do? She did what she was told to do, she punished the enemy. She treated the enemy like the lowest piece of garbage on the planet. She hated them. They were not humans, they were the enemy.

Lynndie England is our fault. She was created by a military that made her wish do to harm to the bad guys and then they sent her to punish them. Which she did. Good soldier! Bad person?

We cannot have it both ways. We cannot teach this kids to hate and to kill and then expect them to have compassion! It does not take a degree in Psychology to see the flaw in that logic. And what is more these kids were given specific instructions to do terrible things to these "enemies". And they did. Terrible things!

Lynndie never stood a chance. Her country failed her. We failed her.