U.S. Troops Said to Mistreat Elder Iraqi/Rode Old Lady Like A Donkey

AP/Yahoooo News ^ | 5-5-04 | Sue Leeman

[My Favorite Headache]

U.S. Troops Said to Mistreat Elder Iraqi 1 hour, 50 minutes ago

By SUE LEEMAN, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - U.S. soldiers who detained an elderly Iraqi woman last year placed a harness on her, made her crawl on all fours and rode her like a donkey, Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites)'s personal human rights envoy to Iraq (news - web sites) said Wednesday.

The envoy, legislator Ann Clwyd, said she had investigated the claims of the woman in her 70s and believed they were true.

During five visits to Iraq in the last 18 months, Clwyd said, she stopped at British and U.S. jails, including Abu Ghraib, and questioned everyone she could about the woman's claims. But she did not say whether the people questioned included U.S. forces or commanders.

Asked for details, Clwyd said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press that she "didn't want to harp on the case because as far as I'm concerned it's been resolved."

Clwyd, 67, is a veteran politician of the governing Labour Party and a strong Blair supporter who regularly visits Iraq and reports back on issues such as human rights, the delivery of food and medical supplies to Iraqis, and Iraq's Kurdish minority. Her job as Blair's human rights envoy is unpaid and advisory.

Clwyd said the Iraqi woman was arrested in Iraq in July and accused of having links to a former member of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime — a charge she denied.

The abuse occurred last year in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison and at another coalition detention center, Clwyd said.

"She was held for about six weeks without charge," the envoy told Wednesday's Evening Standard newspaper. "During that time she was insulted and told she was a donkey. A harness was put on her, and an American rode on her back."

Clwyd said the woman has recovered physically but remains traumatized.

"I am satisfied the case has now been resolved satisfactorily," the envoy told British Broadcasting Corp. radio Wednesday. "She got a visit last week from the authorities, and she is about to have her papers and jewelry returned to her."

Clwyd said she had been told about the case because the woman has relatives in Britain.

Clwyd, who said the woman did not want to be named, did not identify the American military unit involved.

Blair's office said Wednesday the envoy had not delivered her report to the prime minister yet so, therefore, it could not immediately confirm her reported findings.

[My Favorite Headache]

Oh man....here we go again

[BossLady]

I wonder why she was in the prison in the first place??

[Siouxz]

Gear up folks, it's gonna get worse than this. Every idiot in Iraq will, somehow, one way or another, have been brutalized by the evil Americans.

[RightthinkinAmerican]

Pretty convenient - unnamed person makes claims with no witnesses - just has someone who "believes her".

[cripplecreek]

This is an example of the damage done by a few soldiers who acted idiots. I fully expect that we're going to see a steady stream of stories like this for months to come and the arab world will believe every last oner of them.

Come to think of it, liberals will also believe them and probably come up with plenty of their own.

[My Favorite Headache]

Yep...the smear is gonna reach from sea to shining sea...from mosque to mosque. This is the everyday crap that makes uneducated muslims irate and filled with anger.

[tiki]

I don't believe this for one minute.

[TASMANIANRED]

Credibility problem here. How much weight do you think a 70 yr old woman can carry on her back? Do you think she could carry the weight of another adult?

Considering that the average female is 140 lbs and an average for a 6 foot man is 180 do you think she could have been "ridden like a donkey"?

[prairiebreeze]

But she did not say whether the people questioned included U.S. forces or commanders.

Well who'd she question then, the cook?

Prairie

[keithtoo]

The U.S. Invaders turned me into a newt!?

I got better!

[Siouxz]

This is the everyday crap that makes uneducated muslims irate and filled with anger.

Yeah, like they loved us before this happened? Just kiddin'. I know what you mean.

[Clara Lou]

This is what gets me: How is a 67 year-old woman strong enough to wear a saddle and carry another human, particularly a soldier? This tale is unbelievable.

[prairiebreeze]

They are already irate and filled with anger. The prison incident didn't help but it certainly didn't start the problem.

Prairie

[Siouxz]

"He treated me like a dog, Mr. Wally!"--

John Candy, National Lampoon's Vacation

[BobS]

"Come to think of it, liberals will also believe them and probably come up with plenty of their own."

Just make up our own stories of anal sex and liberals will be in favor of the war!

[hellinahandcart]

"Have you ever seen such cruelty?"

8^P

[EggsAckley]

Clwyd.....Clwyd..........I can't explain it but something about her name makes me think of.....................................some body part.

[Siouxz]

Aw Crap!! That wasn't John Candy who said that, it was the other security guard. Note to self: THINK before posting!

[victoryatallcosts]

This is nonsense.

[philman_36]

This is leading to the old addage..."They went to the well one time too many."