Something to Think About (8 cents)

I am reading a book entitled "Brandy: Our Man in Acapulco", the story of Colonel Frank M. Brandstetter. I am only about 25% through the book. Brandstetter was a Hungarian refugee, World War II American army hero, and (I am led to believe) later both a hotelier and a CIA spy. The first part of his life was more than interesting, and I have a feeling we haven't even gotten to the good part.

But enough of that. I want to quote from page 72 of the book:

"Finally, the German soldier [and POW being interrogated by Brandstetter] spat on a small American flag that Brandy had on his desk.

"Infuriated, Brandy jumped up and slugged the German in the face, knocking him senseless. He realized that he must humiliate the prisoner, so he ordered his sergeant to undress the German while he was unconscious. When the POW revived, he was quite humbled. Standing at attention in the brisk, cold room without a stitch of clothing on, he answered the questions without further resistance. In the midst of the interrogation, two British officers accidentally stepped into the room, took one look, then left.

"Brandy thought that they might report him for demeaning the prisoner, but he concluded the investigation. Years later, by one of those strange quirks of fate that seemed to trace his life, brandy met the British actor David Niven after his filming of "Around the World in Eight Days". Niven had been a Phantom during the war, and when comparing notes with Brandy, he asked if Brandy had ever heard the story of an American FID officer who had questioned a German prisoner in the nude! Niven, it seems, had been one of the two officers from General Bernard Montgomery's headquarters who had interrupted the questioning, and he remmebered the moment for years afterward as one of the most gratifying he had experienced during the war."

Think Abu Graib.

Is this really that bad??