Iraqi Militants Becoming Citizens (page 3 of 3)

Quality of Detention Life

Stone generates a new idea a minute -- not all of them successful. There was, for example, his flirtation with giving juvenile detainees tie-dyed uniforms, an initiative that quickly died. (Camp stewards eventually settled on deep-purple uniforms for juveniles and yellow for adults.) But other seemingly eccentric Stone proposals have improved the quality of detention life.

Consider the bread factory. Annoyed by the cost and logistic difficulty of trucking pita bread, a staple of the Iraqi diet, across the desert from Kuwait to Camp Bucca, Stone built a bakery there last year. Under an Indian company's management, it churns out 150,000 pitas a day at just 13 cents apiece.

The emphasis on respect and incentives has led some officers to joke about Stone's detention philosophy. "We used to call this a grab, hold, and release program," says Lt. Comdr. Kenneth C. Marshall, in Task Force 134's public affairs office. "Now it's the grab, hold, hug, and release program. But since this is a war zone, it's a firm hug."

Another of Stone's apparent gifts is getting his innovations funded, or most of them. Col. James Brown, now a branch chief at NorthCom in Colorado Springs, Colorado, credits Stone with having found money to more than double his vocational education classes at Camp Bucca. "His vision and ability to resource it made a huge difference," Brown asserts.

When Brown wanted to start a work program for artists, several officers were skeptical. But Stone supported him. "The program is now a huge success," says Brown. One formerly militant detainee who was recently released -- a man nicknamed Picasso for his bold, original designs -- has agreed to return to the program as a counselor and teacher.

Detention, of course, must not be confused with missionary work. Stone is well aware that Amnesty International and other human rights groups have criticized his program for refusing to permit them to interview detainees privately (which he says only the Red Cross is authorized to do). But Stone says he never loses sight of his real mission: to save American lives by keeping hard-core militants from killing U.S. troops. "I'm not a do-gooder. That's not why I'm here," he told a group of military bloggers last fall. Detention, he says, should be seen as an integral part of the military's counterinsurgency efforts, a vital component of what Stone calls "the battlefield of the mind."

Stone and many of his fellow officers think the Iraqi government has not done enough for its people to win their hearts and minds. Under Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, unemployment remains high and few services are offered. Money vanishes. Stone is also frustrated that neither the United States nor the Iraqi government has been willing to finance one of his key initiatives, a post-release program that would provide former detainees with a monthly stipend of between $175 and $200 for six months in exchange for return visits to the detention centers to ensure they are still studying or working and staying out of trouble.

"He often lacks patience," says Colonel Lieto of his friend. "In Iraq, everything takes one-third more time and money than you think it should. Major General Stone finds that frustrating."

Even an infinitely patient man, however, may be unable to erase the memory of Abu Ghraib. While Stone wages his battle for the hearts and minds of the detainees, photos on the Internet, militant Islamic recruiting posters, and a controversial documentary by Errol Morris keep the memory alive.

But none of this is likely to deter Stone, who friends and colleagues say has an uncanny ability to keep his ego in check and stay the course. Conrad Prusak, who heads Ethos Consulting, a management consulting and executive search firm, recalls attending Stone's promotion ceremony at Twentynine Palms, the Marine Corps Air Ground training facility in California, shortly before Stone left for Iraq. When he got his second star, he had his first star made into mementos for his grandkids. "Even when it was supposed to be all about him, it was not all about him," Prusak says. "He doesn't draw a lot of attention to himself. He's all about the mission."

From Reader's Digest - July 2008

 

• • Amazing People
• Military
• • Iraq War
• • International Issues

• Words From a Wise Man, Melvin Laird
• Former Defense Secretary Melvin Laird talks about his long career, war, and the chances for peace -- especially between Republicans and Democrats.
• 
• Slideshow: Medical Innovations for Soldiers
• Remarkable innovations in treating injured soldiers, like Staff Sgt. Jacque Keeslar, will ultimately benefit us all.
• 
• On the Front Lines
• A day in the life of a combat ER.
• 
• The Mental Anguish of War
• Sometimes the battle takes a greater toll on the mind than the body.
• 
• The Medal of Honor on the Web
• Learn more about America's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor.
• 
• Father and Son Serve in Iraqi War Together
• A father re-enlists in the marines and joins his son on the battlefield in Iraq.
• 

• Be Inspired
• 10 Celebrities Who Give Back
• 7 Amazing Stories, $700,000 to Charity
• Virginia Cervasio: Making It Matter
• PLUS:
• Quiz: What's Your Celebrity Cause IQ?