Posted on 05/08/2004 1:24:14 AM PDT by kattracks
(CNSNews.com) - Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Friday that he called CBS' "60 Minutes" to ask them to delay the broadcast of photos depicting the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the hands of U.S. soldiers, because airing the photos would put U.S. soldiers in Iraq at risk.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld disputed Sen. Mark Dayton's (D-Minn.) contention that Myers tried to suppress the news report.
"Suppress is not the right word at all. It's an inaccurate word, I should say," Rumsfeld said.
When asked by Dayton whether it is "standard procedure for the military command of this country to try to suppress a news report at the highest level," Myers said, "This was not to suppress anything."
"What I asked CBS News to do was to delay the release of the pictures given the current situation in Iraq, which was as bad as it had been since major combat had ended, because I thought it would bring direct harm to our troops. It would kill our troops," he said.
"We [Myers and CBS] talked about it, and I said, 'I know this report will eventually come out, but if you could delay it for some period of time it would be helpful,' Myers added.
Myers said he made that decision based on his conversation with General John Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command in Iraq. Myers said he and Abizaid agreed that asking CBS to delay the report was "the right thing to do."
Myers emphasized that the report of the alleged abuses had been around since January. "What was new were the pictures. I asked for the pictures to be delayed," he said.
Myers said he did not discuss his call to CBS with Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney or President Bush.
"Attempts to suppress news reports, to withhold the truth from Congress and from the American people is antithetical to democracy and whatever the intentions may be, sir, the result is always the same," said Dayton.
"It's, I think, terribly tragic that the president, who wants to expand the democracy around the world, by actions of his own administration is undermining that democracy in the United States," he added.
Rumsfeld took umbrage to Dayton's comments.
"Throughout the history of this country, there have been instances where military situations have existed that have led governments to talk to members of the media and make an editorial request of them that they delay for some period disclosing some piece of information," said Rumsfeld.
"It is not against our history. It is not against our principles. It is not suppression of the news, and it's a misunderstanding of the situation to say that it is," he said.
"It is against our principles," said Dayton. "It's against our principles when you come...before 40 to 45 members of the Senate three hours before that news report is going to occur and don't mention one word about it, sir.
"That is antithetical to democracy and the Constitution, which has the Senate and the House as co-equal responsibility for this country," Dayton added.
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And dead meat politcally if a decent opponent appears.
How much that fact will cost US forces remains to be seen.
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