Abu Ghraib Guards Say Memos Show They Were Scapegoats »
Posted By AnteUp 7 months, 4 weeks ago in News
When the photos of detainee abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq surfaced in 2004, U.S. officials portrayed Army Pvt. Charles A. Graner Jr. as the ringleader of a few low-ranking bad apples.
Newly released memos seem to indicate it was POLICY.
Read Full Story at washingtonpost.com »
316 Views Share Story 23 Comments Report
Submitted By:
AnteUp
Never shy about putting in my two-cent's worth.
A local reporter was scouring the neighborhood for the local's opinion
on an issue. I ...
RSS Join the Discussion
+ Add CommentComments So Far: 23 (view all)
-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
To read more about Captain Carolyn Wood - STILL teaching
Reply
interrogation techniques at Fort Huachuca, AZ, and Colonel
Thomas Pappas, check out this older article:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/3/2/12568/92371
"Aren't you kind of babying them?" Unbelievable!! -
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
I realize waterboarding is pretty spectacular - plus the
Reply
media has lots of video - but would there be such confusion
over what is - or is not - TORTURE if we were discussing the
use of BEATINGS so bad that.........if they had lived, their
limbs would have to have been amputated?
I find little ambiguity about what we SHOULD call that - hmm? -
100%
Spadecaller7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
There is still no assurance that the masterminds and perpetrators of war crimes will be justly punished. But of course, there are those currently being punished for abuse and torture, as if they were nothing more than the random acts perpetrated by rogue elements. Yet the unscrupulous leaders, who use their weakest and most vulnerable dupes as scapegoats remain off limits from official scrutiny.
Reply
While the process of trying war criminals requires an enormous effort of national will, its successful execution will safeguard our world from repressive regimes that are led by those, like the Bush administration, who would again use their power against humanity.-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Agreed Spadecaller. Don't misunderstand - no way do I ever want Graner returned
Reply
to his pre-Iraq job working within the Pennsylvania prison system - but anyone
interested in the truth KNEW we were short-changed with the Taguba investigation,
and the trials of Englund, Graner, etc. These creeps enjoyed their job WAY too
much - but they were ASKED to do it by well educated, intelligent, well-paid
superiors. The chain of command for the orders MUST be followed and dealt
with judiciously - to end this UGLY chapter in our history.
-
-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
I know Wikipedia is scoffed at by some - but check out
Reply
an overview of Captain Carolyn Wood's career and honors(?):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn_Wood -
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
I really didn't remember much about Pappas, so I went looking.
Reply
"Abu Ghraib Officer Gets Reprimand"
- from the Washington Post 2005
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www....
FTA: Army commanders rejected Pappas's repeated claims to investigators that the abuse originated in orders, pressure and encouragement by his superiors.
Well, well..........and well - hmm?
Off topic, but regarding this dilemma about looking forward versus reviewing our past conduct - the funny thing is that as the evidence shows an uglier picture of our leaders intent - it also gives us the best chance to really straighten things out.
And I mean using the JUDICIAL process - forget the legislative
showboating of outrage and photo ops that both Dems and Republicans would partake of - do it right this time -
appoint a Special Prosecutor...........NO politics, please!-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Geez - I am SO sorry - just found out I gave you foks a bum link - sigh
Reply
Here is the proper link to the Col. Pappas story:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic... -
-
-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Looks like anybody who was able to make the dirt stick to
Reply
an underling got PROMOTED!
Check out this Stars and Stripes article:
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104=277...
Maj.Gen.Barbara Fast,Maj.Gen.Walter Wojdakowski, Col.Steven Boltz - did they threaten someone or was the promotion pre-emptive? Google these guys - and never omit General
Jeffrey Miller ("Gitmoize"?) from those worthy of intense
scrutiny!-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
Sheesh - Try this link for the Stars and Stripes article:
Reply
Maj. Gen. Fast, former aide to Sanchez at Abu Ghraib, takes intelligence post
http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104=277...
-
-
-
100%
Spadecaller7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
In the Geneva conventions that we had signed on to and failed to honor during the Bush dynasty, it even states that the excuse that "I was only following orders" is not an acceptable defense. Recent comments by Rice when she admitted that she was carrying out the Presidents orders and because they came from the President they were legal reveals the facts, each person involved in carry out crimes against humanity must be regarded as alleged participants in crimes against humanity.
Reply -
-
-
100%
Charlson7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
As in many organizations the grunts are the ones on the front lines and are usually the ones to take the fall. These officers who passed the buck are essentially responsible for whatever happens under their watch. If they didn't know what was happening (which is hard to believe), then they didn't have control of their command and should have been demoted and punished. If they did know what was happening, well then, they should have been demoted and punished. Either way they got off and in many cases were promoted. The military brass had dirty hands that were cleansed on the backs of the guards.
Reply -
100%
bubba27 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
ANYONE in this country - REGARDLESS of WHO they are - that breaks the law or violates the Constitution should be duly prosecuted and, if the evidence is there, convicted and punished.
Reply
When Clinton was President, the Republicans droned on and on and ON about "the Rule of Law" and how NO one is "above the law". And all that over Clinton's sex life!
But when it is Republicans that violate the law and the Constitution, "the Rule of Law" is NEVER an issue and the President can do whatever he wants to because he is President ("executive privilege").
BUT, now that Obama is President, in the Republicans' eyes he can do nothing RIGHT!
Such shameless, blatant hypocrisy is just beyond all common sense and is unconscionable. -
100%
berkeley7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
anyone who knew anything at all about how the military works knew immediately that the low-level guards did not do this on their own.
Reply
but when janis karpinski was kicked out, it was conclusive.
the coverup was in full force.
remember that thousands more photographs and movies were never released by the bush/cheney cabal. now is the time.-
AnteUpComment removed: Spam
-
100%
AnteUp7 months, 4 weeks ago
This comment is below the standard viewing threshold View It »
It was NOT spam!
Reply
Anyway - I do remember Sy Hersh talking about how some of the most
disturbing stuff he had seen was never shown to the public - to Congress,
but not to us. More's the shame on our Congress for doing so little to
make sure the REAL offenders were prosecuted.
It didn't have to be that way - we DO have the right stuff.
Mike Francis did a great article about how our heroic troops
TRIED to stop the obvious torture of over 100 Iraqi men and boys -
by other Iraqis - at the Ministry of the Interior. They really did their
best - but when they phoned in the situation to the Brass...........
they were told to WALK AWAY!
Take a look:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0807-05.ht...
-
-
-
Add a Comment
Sign In With Your Propeller Account
Please keep your comments relevant to this story.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.