FURIOUS BUSH DEMANDS TO SEE ALL PRISONER ABUSE PHOTOS, VIDEOS

Drudge ^ | 5/9/04 | Matt Drudge

[demkicker]

A furious President Bush has demanded to see all photos and videos showing abuse of Iraq detainees, a senior White House source said late Sunday.

"The president was blindsided by the first TV images, he will not be blindsided again," the source, who demanded anonymity, explained to the DRUDGE REPORT.

The president has instructed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to present him with him all known images that could further deepen the crises.

Monday editions of the NEW YORKER feature photos of a dog attacking a naked Iraqi detainee at Abu Ghraib prison.

President Bush was aware of the photo, the top source claims.

The White House is preparing for more fallout, and leaks from lawmakers.

The Pentagon is considering the possibility of showing the unseen material to members of Congress.

"It's clear the moment the evidence is sent to the Congress, we will see a new feeding frenzy in the media."

[sinkspur]

Apparently, the actual attack did NOT get photographed--only the before (dogs in proximity) and after (prisoner laying on floor with apparent bleeding 'wound').

Logic would dictate that some kind of attack occurred, don't you think?

[Senator Pardek]

what do you think American police officers do with those german shepards when they find a perp resisting arrest?

In a prison while one is naked up against a cell? Lol...

[NYC GOP Chick]

my point is, there may be photos that exist that are outside the Pentagon's control.

Well, given how common digital cameras are, I'd bet that there are more than a few photos that have yet to come to light...

[oceanview]

look, don't get me wrong, I am not excusing rape. But I want to know the whole story, that's all I am saying. If some GI did film that, that may well be worthy of a life sentence. and it had better really be rape, not consentual sex between two iraqis filmed by some pervert GI with a porn film director fantasy.

Again, all I ask for is the whole truth.

[ClancyJ]

Did you hear that Rumsfeld himself could not get copies of the photos until the night before the senate meeting?

I think Bush was telling Rumsfeld to demand the military give him all copies of any abuse immediately by presidential order. I wonder if some of the military is possibly willing to sabotage Rumsfeld.

[NYC GOP Chick]

My guess: Rumsfeld has already handed in his resignation. Bush is holding it - waiting to make the decision to accpet, or not.

If Rumsfeld resigns or is canned, the war is over - and Bush cannot afford to do that.

Rumsfeld is staying - at least - through the election, but I fear that he may be out in a second term. :(

[HostileTerritory]

Is it just me that senses that it looks like a demonic-rat behind this crap?

Since none of the Americans in the photos is denying their authenticity, I think that it's just you. I couldn't even begin to imagine how this could be created as a political set-up. Sometimes bad things happen in this world that can't be explained by crackpot theories.

[sinkspur]

same thing with murder. how many of those deaths were associated with prisoners attacking guards, or trying to escape? its easy to say "prisoner X was killed in custody", and call it "murder", so long as you don't present the context regarding how it happened. Without context, it sounds like US soldiers just randomly walked into prisoner cells and shot them in the head. I want to know the whole story.

Remember Abner Louima? He really DID get brutalized with a broomstick. The "context" only made it worse.

Perhaps "context" will mitigate to some extent, but I don't expect it to calm the storm.

Somebody's head will have to be offered on a platter, and I'm afraid it's going to be Rumsfeld's.

[oldngray]

Having been around the military a bit, it is very difficult for me to believe that some or most of this was not known and condoned by some who were/are high in the chain of commmand. If it was not known it is pure negligence and incompetence and that alone makes them guilty.

One who may not fall but who certainly has a great deal of responsibility for oversight is the General (can't remember her name) who ran the MP Brigade with no discipline, none. The troops did whatever they desired, no saluting, no respect for seniors, lowest enlisted ranks calling field grade officers by their first names, etc.

I won't be surprised at what comes out but my heart goes out to the troops in the field who will take the brunt of the backlash (effect from the libs and media in the US).

In my view, we no longer understand how to wage war.

[oceanview]

alot of perps in the US are just scared, they run, and the dogs are turned loose on them. these prisoners may well be Fedayeen or iraqi secret police. who deserves to have the dog used on them more, that iraqi, or some inner city American kid scared out of his mind for having a vile of crack in his car?

[TomGuy]

Photos, any more, are too easily faked. Same with videos. The Brit Military photos were proved to be staged, or fake, or did not take place in Iraq.

Without more specific details and at least a 2nd witness to the dogs attacking, I would not take only the world of Hersch. This whole issue is much to volitile to henge on singular, unsubstantiated reports.

[nunya bidness]

...But Bull Conner was in Birmingham.

Forget it, he's on a roll.

[Arpege92]

Well said.

[ClancyJ]

If Rumsfeld leaves, I think it will be that he will retire after this term and not wish to go for another term. I feel Bush will not bow to the political witchhunt mentality because it would create more of it (terrorism remember). Rummy will not fold with a witch-hunt.

This is an attempt to take the war from Bush so that the dems can use the war. I was so glad to see the first court-martial will be public.

[oceanview]

take an example - some perp takes a swing at a police officer during the arrest, he's cuffed and restrained now, you don't think the cop might have the dog take a little nip out of him for resisting arrest, even after he is cuffed? It likely happens every day in this country.

[NYC GOP Chick]

ever watch COPS? are you kidding me? what do you think American police officers do with those german shepards when they find a perp resisting arrest?

Apples and oranges. Big difference between trying to subdue a violent criminal and abusing an already apprehended and restrained prisoner.

I had a co-worker who was knocked to the ground (deliberately) by a police horse in NYC doing crowd control. they use the horses in that manner all the time.

Nope, they do it when necessary. Perhaps your co-worker should have kept out of the way and let the cops do their job. They have it rough enough without any additional interference.

[NJ_gent]

"Any evidence that any of this was "staged"?"

If any such evidence exists, it will all come out at the Courts Martial, the first of which is May 19th, if I recall correctly. I'm reserving my end judgement about this whole thing until I know the content of all the evidence and have heard the soldiers' side of the story. Much of how I end up looking at this whole thing will be determined by how severely the folks involved are punished. I have faith that our military courts will give these individuals a fair and honest hearing, and will sentence them justly.

[Numbers Guy]

We usually don't report on psychic phenomena - "out there" as it is.

Newsmax is getting desperate. If they have proof that photos are faked (and it's clear some have been), then provide that proof. Don't desperately depend on some charlatan's supposed "visions". If I was a liberal and I came across that article on Newsmax, I'd be laughing my rear end off right now at Newsmax's desperation.

If she's such a visionary, then why isn't she a gazillionaire via the stock market?

[Anti-Bubba182]

Related New Yorker article that DRUDGE was talking about.

(WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES)

CHAIN OF COMMAND

[sinkspur]

In my view, we no longer understand how to wage war.

Well, brutalizing prisoners has no place in any war we wage.

I've got two sons who are cops, and they say it's all they can do sometimes to keep from beating some of these perps to a pulp, especially when they see dead kids, or a wife, bloody and crying.

But, they don't, even when they could get away with it.