More Photos, Videos in Iraq Abuse Scandal-Rumsfeld

myway news/reuters ^ | May 7, 04 | Reuters

[churchillbuff]

The abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison includes more photographs and videos that are potentially worse than the photos shown around the world of smiling American soldiers next to naked Iraqi prisoners in humiliating positions, U.S. officials said on Friday. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, said there were many more photos and videotapes that had not been published showing cruel and sadistic acts by U.S. personnel.

"I've said today that there are a lot more photographs and videos that exist. If these are released to the public, obviously it's going to make matters worse. That's just a fact," Rumsfeld said.

"I mean I looked at them last night and they're hard to believe," he said. "And if they're sent to some news organization and taken out of the criminal prosecution

channels that they're in, that's where we'll be. And it's not a pretty picture."

The photographs published so far have shown naked Iraqi prisoners piled on top of each other. One prisoner is shown with a leash around his neck held by a female American soldier, and one has women's underwear over his head.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, asked Rumsfeld during the hearing whether he had seen the video. Rumsfeld said he had not seen it.

"Apparently the worst is yet to come potentially in terms of disturbing events," Graham said.

[cwb]

He's talking about the video and a possible 2nd disc right now on Fox.

[churchillbuff]

He's talking about the video and a possible 2nd disc right now on Fox.

Of course, Rumsfeld is a lying traitor to say such things. Contrary to Rumsfeld, nothing has gone wrong in our invasion and occupation of Iraq. Just ask all the freepers who flame me for opposing this war.

[dawn53]

Who took the photos? The whole thing seems mighty suspicious to me. Could it be a set up for Bush, or am I just being paranoid?

What I don't understand is how seemingly "normal" people would do such things, and then videotape themselves doing it, and posing for cameras.

[cwb]

Rummy's giving a great speech right now, explaining to a little Dim how we will get past this event. It was great.

[rudypoot]

I hope you're wearing a helmut.

[UncleJeff]

There are supposedly 600 women and children in a separate wing. If there are pictures of them being mistreated, or worse, we could be at war with a half-dozen Countries by Monday.

[churchillbuff]

Who took the photos? The whole thing seems mighty suspicious to me. Could it be a set up for Bush,

You're right. It's all faked. They did it in the same studio in which the so-called "moon landing with Neal Armstrong" was filmed.

[churchillbuff]

That's the ticket - - It's all a fake. Done by the same folks who filmed the alien autopsy. Just keep telling yourself such things and you might eventually be able to believe them. Denial can work if you keep working on it.

[dawn53]

I don't believe it was faked. I think the stuff happened.

But what is the motivation for people to videotape themselves doing such things. Or pose for photos doing such things.

Does a person committing a crime photograph himself doing it?

Somebody took the photos, was it the soldiers committing the acts, well IMHO, it had to be, or at least they had to know they were being photographed.

What was their motivation for the photos?

[Hunble]

Yes moron, we know that the worst is yet to come.

That is why the FCC must get involved and revoke the broadcasting license for all CBS affiliates for purposes of national security.

It is time to hold the media accountable for their actions.

Yes, they have freedom of speech. Now that they have talked, it is time to put some people in jail.

[hershey]

Some RAT on the committee wanted assurances from one of the generals that the soldier who'd let the cat out of the bag about the abuses was being protected. He named the soldier, but I don't recall it. The general said the soldiers who'd been involved in the abuse were more likely to be the target of attacks. But that the soldier who blew the whistle was being protected.

[tirednvirginia]

Do they new photos/video show something new? Or are they more photos of the same people doing other acts. If it isn't something different, why does the media think they are doing us a favor by showing us more? Why didn't they just show it all to begin with?

[dawn53]

So here's my question.

If a guy takes pictures to show to his commanders in order to be a whistle-blower (I find this explanation a little hard to believe because of the number of photos and the "posing" of the soldiers for the photos), and then the Pentagon starts investigating....how did CBS end up with the photos?

[qwertz]

What I don't understand is how seemingly "normal" people would do such things, and then videotape themselves doing it, and posing for cameras.


That's easy. It's human nature: Stanford Prison Experiment

Americans are not better or worse than anyone else.

[ApplegateRanch]

What I don't understand is how seemingly "normal" people would do such things, and then videotape themselves doing it, and posing for cameras.

Ask Paris Hilton & her boy 'friend'.

Ask our former friends who were mortally offended that we did NOT want to watch the "beautiful" (graphic) video of her giving birth.

Ask the frat boys who video..oops; you said "normal".

Also, ask the Nazies at the concentration camps, and in SS units, who took plenty of photos, but didn't stop at mere 'humiliation'.

[DoktorLaw]

The real trouble is that very soon now -- if it hasn't already started -- the pissed off Arab rabble rousers are going to start photoshopping BDSM pix to make it look like much worse things are happening to women, children, the elderly, whatever they think will do the most to set off their countrymen. And because of the 6 morons who did comparatively mild things to prisoners, a lot of the Arabs are going to believe the photoshopped fakes are real.

Why would folks photograph themselves doing this kind of thing? Who knows. Way back when, Southerners use to take pictures of a bunch of 'em standing around after a lynching. Probably a combination of thinking that what they're doing isn't fundamentally wrong and that it makes them look tough or wild or impressive to their buddies back home or whatever.

[cwb]

Rumsfeld has already said that the release of these photos was a violation of the law. We have to remember that at the heart of this is still a criminal investigation...and what this person did, was release evidence to be used in trial.

While these punks need to be punished, is there really any chance that these folks are going to get a fair trial, now? That's one of the problems thats going on with these hearings...and photos, as it is essentially tainting everything. While the military does things differently, I could just see a good lawyer arguing bias because of this unprecedented coverage...with politicians proclaiming guilt before anyone has been tried.

[philman_36]

...how did CBS end up with the photos?
And who had the photos?
We reviewed numerous photos and videos of actual detainee abuse taken by detention facility personnel, which are now in the custody and control of the US Army Criminal Investigation Command and the CJTF-7 prosecution team.
The question then becomes how did they get out of CID and the CJTF-7 prosecution team's "custody and control" to get to CBS?
Seems like the Army has some holes in their boats.

[eggman]

Rummy has been so calm and collected in listening to and answering these questions but he has about had enough. I am a patient man but I could not sit there without laying into one of these people. How many times can they ask the same thing just slightly differently and expect a different answer.

Without the pictures this was a non-story. It was being investigated and the responsible parties were being prosecuted. Our system was working quietly but effectively.

Now that there are pictures, the sharks have smelled blood and want to see how much damage they can do to the Bush Administration. If there are more pictures or videos, the feeding frenzy will continue. Bush and Rummy will not play their game and give them a victory. The system is working, not because of but in spite of the media and partisan attacks.