Abu Ghraib General Says She's a Scapegoat

Associated Press ^ | Jun 15, 9:30 AM EDT | By JILL LAWLESS

[Jeff Head]

"The interrogation operation was directed; it was under a separate command and there was no reason for me to go out to look at Abu Ghraib at cell block 1a or 1b...I didn't know in September, I didn't know in October, I didn't know ever"

Which is to say IMHO she was incompetent...an adminstrator sitting on top of her worlrd with no connetcion to reality whatsoever. That's why things got out of hand, the CO was not minding the store.

[elli1]

If it's a good idea for the celebrities then why shouldn't the same apply to the military personnel facing trial?

I don't believe that the ''general'' is facing trial. Unfortunately.

[Thommas]

She's an idiot. How the heck did she make general?

The general was one of Clinton's select group of military indoctrinators; the type that shows affirmative action has no adverse consequences. She grouses about being a scapegoat but I'm betting she had no voice when she was promoted over better, more qualified and RESPOSIBLE men.

[squirt]

clinton?

[Thommas]

..RESPONSIBLE..

sheesh - I even spell checked the thing...

[AMDG&BVMH]

"Karpinski was suspended last month from command of the 800th Military Police Brigade"

suspended = relieved = stripped of command

She should be too humiliated to open her mouth, and she goes PUBLIC complaining??? She was no General Officer.

She'll get a book contract, too; like that female AF pilot who was canned for adultery; and cried and cried about it.

[martin gibson]

a rat is a dog is a pig is a feminist (with profound apologies to rats, dogs and pigs...)

Karpinski is just the worst; an absolute embarrassment.

[STD]

"Abu Ghraib General Says She's a Scapegoat"

More likely we are the victims of gender neutral promotion!

Gimme a big break Brig Gen Karpinski, sending an overrated she-male wannabe to do a real man's job.

Boo Hoo Janet! "Karpinski said she was being made "a convenient scapegoat" in the abuse scandal".

Nope you are directly responsible, Honey! Typical woman, when shit happens see calls for, or blames her man.

Levenworth or the media's convienent tool to beat President Bush in November. Disgusting!

[beckett]

Karpinski has some kind of business consulting relationship with Hilton Head Island Resort. I know if I were a member of Hilton Head I'd be raising quite a stink about having my club's name associated in any way with such a disgraced and disgraceful individual, a so-called soldier who gladly gives propaganda value to the enemy.

Karpinski is willing to trash her own country in order to make excuses for her own failures of leadership. She is one of the most contemptible officers in all of American history.

[Polybius]

She's an idiot. How the heck did she make general ?

AQGeiger covered that in Post #5.

[TC Rider]

She's a Scapegoat!

[RichInOC]

Janis, just shut up and take your ass-kicking like the man you are.

When this story first broke, I figured you to be somebody like Rosa Klebb from the James Bond story "From Russia With Love". But the more I see your face, and the more I read about you making lame excuses for your ineptitude, the more I wonder whether it's possible that Colonel Wilhelm Klink of the Luftwaffe was a real individual, and whether he had a daughter.

[FrankR]

"The American general who was in charge of Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison claimed she was being made a scapegoat for the abuse of detainees, and said her successor once told her that prisoners should be treated "like dogs." A spokesman for Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, accused of making the "like dogs" remark, categorically denied the charge. "

Now, assuming this is true, one who think that a person who has attained the rank of GENERAL would have enough common sense to make their own decisions and not blindly follow the philosophy of their "predecessor".

Borrowing a line from "Spiderman"..."With great power, comes great responsibility..."

Not only does the "General" try to shirk hers by blaming it on a "male" counterpart [Miller], but also introduces us to other "squirm" factors, like:

"In her defense, Karpinski has said that interrogations at the prison were not under her command but were run by a military intelligence unit that was "under increasing pressure to get more, as they call it, actionable intelligence." "

or

"Karpinski said that during a visit to Iraq in September, Miller - still the commander at the Guantanamo Bay prison - spoke of wanting to "Gitmoize" Abu Ghraib by applying the Cuban facility's regimented detention and interrogation techniques. "

On and on...

""That training was going to come from the military intelligence command," Karpinski added, noting that the troops under her command had no training in such interrogation techniques. "

This woman is a constant stream of excuses, and no responsibility. Sure, you're being "scapegoated" lady, but not in the fraudulent sense...in the sense that you obviously think your job is ceremonial and entitlement, and not one with personal responsibility.

This is what people tried to tell clinton when he wanted to the military to "look like society".

[chilepepper]

How the heck did she make general ?

Bill Clinton.

[maui_hawaii]

There are several things here:

1. There is a cat fight over the actual use of the Abu Ghriab facility that has been going on for quite some time.

Link

2. Somewhere after the completion of the rebuilding of the prison, and after the military took over, someone messed up... to what degree is debateable. If it was part of interrogations, thats ok and much less of an issue. If it was aimless and pointless military troops just getting their jollies, THAT stops right with the general. That shows exactly what kind of leader she is.

Some argue that panties on the head and getting hit with a nerf bat is humiliating, but not very serious. None the less its on the news often in vague terms so that makes it worse.

3. Finally SOMEWHERE in the military ranks SOMEONE is responsible. If she is the general in charge...DUH. Generals are supposed to kick ass and take names. It sounds to me like extremely poor leadership on her part.

No matter WHAT so and so did before, a strong leader would lay down the law as to what THEY want NOW, and from this time forth.

It sounds a might lot like the CEO of a company talking to shareholders, "Our share price dropped $10 a share because the sales department didn't do its job, the finance team sucks, and this place is a wreck. Its totally disorganized!" Thats more of a self indictment than anything.

That is, unless they put generals in position and give them no real authority...sort of a figurehead only type of thing...

[G.Mason]

Where's the "bimbo general" alert? ;)

[ppaul]

WWPD?
Women should not be giving orders to men. Period.
For centuries, men went to war to fight for their women and children.
It is a sick society indeed which sends its women to fight to protect men or command men.
What would Patton do?

Dear President Bush: You are the Commander-in-Chief. Take care of this, okay?!!

[ppaul]

It sounds to me like extremely poor leadership on her part.

It is extremely poor leadership that allows women to be in a war zone commanding men.

[TheCrusader]

"Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski said Miller told her last autumn that prisoners "are like dogs, and if you allow them to believe at any point that they are more than a dog then you've lost control of them."

Women in the military is not a good thing. How many high ranking, highly qualified male leaders have been forced to leave the Armed Forces because their female counterparts have charged them with "sexual harrassment"? When political agenda is put in front of military unity, the military loses something very valuable and important to its success. Apparenlty this woman, "Gen" Karpinski, can't take the heat without trying to bring a male General Officer or two down with her. This whole thing happened under her direct supervision and control; if she had any gullionies whatsoever she'd just..... oops, I forgot myself for a moment.