Pentagon Opposes Independent Prison Abuse Probe

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon on Thursday opposed calls for an independent investigation of prisoner abuse from human rights groups and a key congressional Democrat, who said such a probe was the only way to get to the truth.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into U.S. prisoner detention and interrogation operations after two Pentagon reports this week greatly expanded the scope of culpability in the prisoner abuse scandal.

"The investigations either completed or under way and the rigorous oversight by Congress provide the department and the public a thorough examination of the facts," said Matt Waxman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs.

Waxman said in a statement existing Pentagon inquiries "have put detention operations under a microscope."

"What's needed now is not another investigation but time for the justice system to work its will and for the department to continue its efforts to improve detention operations."

Alistair Hodgett, spokesman for Amnesty International USA, said no investigation conducted since the revelations that U.S. forces abused and sexually humiliated Iraqis at Abu Ghraib jail had been free to take a full look at who was responsible for the abuse and what caused it. Not one of the "patchwork of reports" had examined the CIA's role, he noted.

"We need to have somebody look into all this who's not appointed by or under the command of the secretary of defense. There is a multitude of investigations, but they're all within the Pentagon or a panel that was appointed by the secretary of defense," added Reed Brody, a lawyer with Human Rights Watch.

"To get the full truth, we need an independent investigation with the power to pick up the trail in Washington and to follow the facts wherever they lead," said Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The rights groups called for an independent probe to examine the actions of Pentagon officials, U.S. troops, CIA personnel and anyone else involved in or responsible for abuse, and they want a review of criminal liability of senior officials.

Amnesty International favors a special counsel. Human Rights Watch envisions an independent commission akin to the one that examined the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

A report on Tuesday by a panel appointed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and headed by former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger assigned indirect responsibility for the abuse to top Pentagon civilian and military officials.

An investigative report by Army Maj. Gen. George Fay and Lt. Gen. Anthony Jones on Wednesday found that many more U.S. soldiers than previously acknowledged were directly involved in the Abu Ghraib abuse. Fay said some of the abuse qualified as torture.

-- Navy Vice Adm. Tom Church, the Navy's inspector general, is heading a review of Pentagon interrogation techniques and practices. It is expected to be completed by mid-September.

-- Army Brig. Gen. Richard Formica is looking into allegations of detainee abuse by elite U.S. special forces in Iraq. A senior Army official said this report should be out "soon," but was not more specific.

-- Army Col. Beverly Ertman, inspector general of the Army Reserve, is heading a review of training of Army Reserve military police and military intelligence soldiers in legal issues, detainee treatment, interrogation techniques, ethics and leadership. Army Reserve spokesman Steve Stromvall said this review is due to be finished by March 2005.

Army's Report Faults General In Prison Abuse
(New York Times)...Douglas Jehl and Eric Schmitt Classified parts of the report by three Army generals on the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison say Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, the former top commander in Iraq, approved the use in Iraq of some severe interrogation practices intended to be limited to captives held in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and Afghanistan.

RUMSFELD TRIP

Rumsfeld: No Plans To Resign
(Arizona Daily Star (Tucson))...Barrett Marson Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld accepted some responsibility Thursday for the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq but said he can't watch over the millions of people under him from his office at the Pentagon.

IRAQ -- ABU GHRAIB

Directives At Abu Ghraib Were 'Never Clarified Adequately'
(USA Today)...Unattributed Gen. Paul Kern, Lt. Gen. Anthony Jones and Maj. Gen. George Fay met with USA TODAY's editorial board Thursday to discuss the Fay-Jones report, which examined the role military intelligence played in the prison-abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib. Here are excerpts from that session:

Officers Won't Be Charged In Prison Scandal
(Washington Post)...Josh White and Thomas E. Ricks The dramatic leadership failures revealed by two investigations into abuse of Iraqi detainees will haunt the Army for months or even years as defense attorneys explore them in court in attempts to mitigate accusations and ease punishments for more than a score who could be charged, military legal experts said yesterday.

Army Blames Confusion For Iraq Abuse
(Wall Street Journal)...Greg Jaffe A list of interrogation techniques approved by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for use at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, migrated improperly to Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison and contributed to some of the abuses there, three senior Army generals who recently completed a detailed study of the problems at the prison told The Wall Street Journal.

Two Reports Detail Iraq Prison Abuse
(Washington Times)...Bill Gertz The release of two Pentagon reports this week on prisoner abuses in Iraq is part of ongoing inquiries into the activities of soldiers at Abu Ghraib who mistreated Iraqi prisoners.

Interrogation Center Chief Created 'Chaotic Situation'
(Los Angeles Times)...Richard A. Serrano Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan spent most of his Army career in routine, even mundane, assignments, working during the last decade in electronic warfare planning and civil affairs duties. He took two brief courses in military intelligence but knew little about the Geneva Convention outlawing prisoner abuse. He told subordinates that he did not fully understand the legal difference between short-term detainees and incarcerated prisoners. Yet, he was placed in charge of the interrogation task force at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison as it teemed with influxes of prisoners.

Reports Criticize Medics For Overlooking Abuses
(New York Times)...Donald G. McNeil Jr. The failures of Army medical staff members to prevent and report torture, as detailed in reports about abuses at Abu Ghraib prison this week, shows the need for more investigation and better training, medical ethicists and the Army itself said yesterday.

Pentagon Opposes Independent Prison Abuse Probe
(Reuters.com)...Will Dunham, Reuters The Pentagon on Thursday opposed calls for an independent investigation of prisoner abuse from human rights groups and a key congressional Democrat, who said such a probe was the only way to get to the truth.

MARINE CORPS

Doctor Says Iraqi Prisoner Was Hit Repeatedly Before Death
(Los Angeles Times)...Tony Perry An Iraqi prisoner who died in U.S. custody had six broken ribs in a pattern that suggests he was struck repeatedly before his death, a military pathologist testified Thursday in the court-martial of a Marine accused of assault.

EDITORIAL

Abu Ghraib, The Next Step
(New York Times)...Editorial For months, John Warner, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has been gamely resisting pressure from Republican leaders to call off his hearings on the Abu Ghraib prison disaster - the only real sign of life on Capitol Hill on this important issue. Mr. Warner was patiently awaiting the outcome of a set of Pentagon investigations, including one by the Army and one by a civilian panel set up by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Both issued reports this week, and it's clear that Mr. Warner still has work to do.

The Abu Ghraib Report
(Washington Times)...Editorial ...By October 2003, there were more than 7,000 detainees incarcerated at Abu Ghraib, but only 90 personnel from the 800th Military Police Brigade to guard them. That is almost an 80-to-1 ratio, and underscores the very real moral culpability with those directly involved in the abuse. At the same time, the report does not hedge in finding a not insignificant amount of managerial culpability in the Pentagon for failing to detect sooner these individual cases of moral transgressions.

Wounds Of Abu Ghraib Continue To Cause Pain
(Miami Herald)...Editorial A pair of reports issued by the Pentagon this week have dispelled lingering doubts about the prisoner abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and elsewhere. No one who believes in the moral authority of the United States can take comfort from the findings.

BUMP!

This is STILL nothing but a political witch-hunt, a 'burning coal' in Bush's pocket. One has only to see who it is fanning the 'last embers' of this non-issue. ...the scum-bag hypocrite Pat 'Leaky' Leahy? ...Amnesty International? ...Oh, PLEEEZE!!!

RE: "Waxman said in a statement existing Pentagon inquiries "have put detention operations under a microscope. "What's needed now is not another investigation but time for the justice system to work its will and for the department to continue its efforts to improve detention operations."

TRANSLATION: "Sorry. But we just don't have any more time to waste on your Whiney-*ss Liberal, 'Blame America-First', Endanger-the-Troops, Liberal Hand-Wringing. SOME people have WORK to do.
Besides... 'Cloth Headware' is IN over in that part of the world... and who the h*ll *CARES* if those 'panties' WEREN'T BLACK???!!!

...So just get OVER yourselves!!!

(*Please FReepmail if you want on, or off, this list. I certainly have no desire to increase anyone’s stress-level. Thanks!!!*)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.