Fact Check: "When I was in Iraq a doctor from Basra told me that, after being jailed by the police some years ago, he refused to tell his inquisitors whatever it was they wanted to hear. Instead of beating him, he told me, they brought in his 3-month-old daughter. The interrogator tore the screaming infant's eye out. When the desired answers were still not forthcoming, the questioner hurled the little girl against the concrete wall and smashed her skull." -- The New York Times, July 26, 2003

Fact Check: "When I was in Iraq a doctor from Basra told me that, after being jailed by the police some years ago, he refused to tell his inquisitors whatever it was they wanted to hear. Instead of beating him, he told me, they brought in his 3-month-old daughter. The interrogator tore the screaming infant's eye out. When the desired answers were still not forthcoming, the questioner hurled the little girl against the concrete wall and smashed her skull." -- The New York Times, July 26, 2003

What We Know

The claim in question describes a horrific act of violence allegedly committed by interrogators against a doctor's infant daughter in Iraq. It was reported in an article by The New York Times on July 26, 2003. The article discusses various human rights abuses occurring in Iraq during the early stages of the Iraq War, including allegations of torture and mistreatment of detainees by coalition forces (source-1).

Reports from various human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, have documented numerous instances of abuse and torture in Iraq, indicating a pattern of violence against detainees (source-3). The broader context of the Iraq War includes significant civilian casualties and documented abuses, with estimates of civilian deaths ranging from 103,160 to over a million, depending on the source (source-2).

Analysis

The claim presents a specific and extreme example of alleged torture, which, while shocking, requires careful scrutiny. The source of the claim is a personal account relayed by an unnamed doctor, which raises questions about verification and reliability. Personal testimonies can be powerful but are often difficult to corroborate, especially in conflict zones where chaos and trauma can distort perceptions.

The New York Times has a long-standing reputation as a credible news source, but the nature of the claim necessitates further investigation. The article from which the quote is derived does not provide additional context or verification of the doctor's story, which limits its reliability. Furthermore, while there are numerous documented cases of abuse by coalition forces, the specific incident described in the claim lacks corroboration from independent sources.

Human rights organizations have reported systematic abuses during the Iraq War, but the details of individual cases often remain unverified or anecdotal (source-4). This particular claim, while plausible within the broader context of reported abuses, requires more substantial evidence to be conclusively validated.

Conclusion

Needs Research: The claim regarding the horrific treatment of a doctor's daughter during interrogation in Iraq is alarming and fits within the broader narrative of human rights abuses reported during the Iraq War. However, it lacks independent verification and relies on a personal account that cannot be substantiated with available evidence. Given the gravity of the allegations, further investigation and corroboration are necessary to establish the truth of this specific incident.

Sources

1. AFTEREFFECTS: HUMAN RIGHTS; Iraqi Detainees Claim Abuse by British and American Troops (The New York Times)
2. Iraq War (Wikipedia)
3. “No Blood, No Foul” (Human Rights Watch)
4. Getting Away with Torture?: Command Responsibility for US Abuse of Detainees (Human Rights Watch)
5. Iraq: Decades of suffering, Now women deserve better (Amnesty International)
6. Rationalizing Abuse and Torture in the War on Terror (JSTOR)
7. Religion, Violence, and the State in Iraq (POMEPS)
8. Iraq's Humanitarian Crisis (Global Policy)