Jamie Leigh Jones
Posted at 4:42pm on Dec. 13, 2007 More followup on the Jamie Leigh Jones story
By Ben Domenech
Updating previous posts, I want to direct you over to Overlawyered for a legal analysis from Ted Frank of the Jamie Leigh Jones situation. I'm no lawyer, but his overall analysis makes a good deal of sense to me - I think this is a legitimate case that is being expanded a bit to cover other unrelated incidents regarding Halliburton to try and get a bigger fish to fry. As I said before, I have no idea if Halliburton is guilty of wrongdoing in this case, but KBR has a worse reputation for this sort of thing, so in any case I would not be surprised. We'll have to wait and see.
I still see zero tangible evidence to refute Jamie Leigh Jones' claim of rape and assault (and given that the woman clearly sustained bodily injuries with medical records to back it up once she got back to the states, I think the initial claims that KBR made are now laughable). Considering that all of this will now be investigated to the fullest, we'll have plenty of opportunities for more evidence in the coming months. And I'm sure in that timeframe more and more people will use this sad case to justify their view of the war and evil corporations, on both sides of the political divide.
Posted at 4:20pm on Dec. 11, 2007 An update on the Green Zone's petri dish for tragic stories
By Ben Domenech
Following on the heels of my post last night on Jamie Leigh Jones, a friend with significant time in the Green Zone emails to point out that she and other women she knew did not touch alcohol while in country, afraid that if something happened, they'd end up receiving the blame for being intoxicated. The men, on the other hand, had no such qualms - there are (or were) not one but TWO fully stocked liquor stores in the Green Zone. "No grocery stores. No pharmacies. But TWO liquor stores."
Let's recap: 400:1 Male:Female ratio, lonely environment, alcohol, under pressure all the time...yeah, that's not a circumstance where you need to be extra careful about preventing rape and assault at all.
P.S. - while I am grateful for an Yglesias Award Nomination from Andrew Sullivan, I must respectfully decline as an act of protest, until my suffering Puerto Rican people receive statehood. I hope he understands.
Posted at 11:16pm on Dec. 10, 2007 The Tragic Tale of Jamie Leigh Jones
Realize that not all things in life are about your politics
By Ben Domenech
"'Few words,' quoth she, 'Shall fit the trespass best,
Where no excuse can give the fault amending:
In me more woes than words are now depending;
And my laments would be drawn out too long,
To tell them all with one poor tired tongue."
The story of the rape of Jamie Leigh Jones, filed by ABC's Brian Ross on this weekend's 20/20, is a sad tale indeed. It is tragic, and it is moving.
But for anyone who knows any woman who has worked in the green zone, either under the protection of the Department of State, or as a contractor, it is not at all surprising.
I personally know three young women who have worked in this environment - not even including my sister, who has experienced it as well. The stories they have told me of conditions for females in the green zone are disturbing at best. There are universal similarities in what they describe: a dominant boy's club atmosphere; a fraternity but with guns and more men desperate for an outlet; so few women and many of them young, attractive, and unattached; flimsy locks on their quarters; and in many circumstances local nationals walking unescorted (but don't you dare complain to the embassy, we all know what happens then).
It is an ideal atmosphere for the conditions that lead to tragic events, attacks like the one that Jamie Leigh claims happened to her.
Read on.
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