(actually that's Jon Stewart's line...)

I think most Iraqis understand that the prisoners at that place were thugs who worked for a regime that committed worse abuses but that's largely irrelevent. As Christopher Hitchens has commented, it's not at all hypocritical to hold self-proclaimed liberators to a higher standard.

What's so disturbing to Iraqis, even those who are pro-coalition, is the question of why on earth, if the Americans truly care about helping Iraqis create a better Iraq, would they allow their soldiers to descend to such depths, to behave as a bunch of sadistic, pornographic miscreants under, quite obviously, a complete lack of competent leadership? Do the decisions made in assigning and managing personal and operations at this facility show any kind of respect for Iraqis and their culture?

But this scandal isn't just a public relations disaster, it's also an opportunity. All governments suffer such unfortunate episodes (usually domestically) but the real measure is how they react in punishing those guilty of offenses, and take real action to regain the trust and confidence of all involved.

What kind of example will America give in terms of serious, corrective action, and how will it regain the support of the Iraqi people?