Top Democrats knew about Abuse in Iraq yet did nothing.

NewsMax.com ^ | Tuesday, May 11, 2004 | Phil Brennan,

[conservative-m]

Congress Ignored Reports of Prisoner Abuse Phil Brennan, NewsMax.com Tuesday, May 11, 2004 Democrats howling for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for not informing them of reports of prisoner abuse in Baghdad are ignoring the fact that concerned parents of an accused soldier informed 16 members of Congress - top Democrats such as Senators Hillary Clinton, Edward Kennedy and John D. Rockefeller - and the governor of Virginia of the burgeoing scandal as far back as February 26th of this year. None of these people acted to disclose the detailed information contained in the letters.

While the media has created a firestorm about the abuse allegations at Abu Ghraib prison, only one TV network, MSNBC, disclosed the names of the members of Congress when one of the letter writers, William Lawson, mentioned them during a telephone interview.

No further mention of the names was made by MSNBC.

Otherwise, the mainstream media has circled the wagons in a blatant attempt to protect their Democratic allies in the Senate from charges of hypocrisy in condemning Secretary Rumsfeld for not informing them of what they already knew, through both Army press releases and the letters.

Lawson, the uncle of one of the accused soldiers, Staff Sgt. Ivan L. Frederick, gave NewsMax.com the names of the members of Congress and Virginia's governor as well as the text of the explosive letters in a series of faxes.

Here are the names, all Democrats except for Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, Sgt. Frederick's congressman:

Senators Jack Reed, Mark Dayton, Robert Byrd, Bill Nelson, Evan Bayh, Mark Pryor, Edward Kennedy, Benjamin Nelson, Hillary Clinton, Joseph Lieberman, Daniel Akaka, Paul Sarbanes, John D. Rockefeller, Governor Mark Warner and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett.

Senator Byrd's office would not even accept the letter e-mailed to him on the grounds it was too long.

Bartlett said he was looking into the matter.

Sarbanes said he had written the the "appropriate officials."

Rockefeller begged off on the grounds that he was barred by privacy rules.

Senator Joe Lieberman is the only one of these members of Congress who has defended Donald Rumsfeld and the world's mission in Iraq.

In fact, Senators Reed and Dayton were nearly abusive in holding the feet of Sec. Rumsfeld, Gen. Myers et alii to the fire last week - and here we find that they knew of the abuse allegations months ago.

They could only have been feigning outrage, since they have been long aware of what was going on at Abu Ghraib; the e-mail letters fully alerted the 16 Democrats and Governor Warner of the prisoner abuse accusations.

Moreover the U.S. Central Command told the media of an investigation into abuses on Jan. 16, just days after a report by a whistleblower.

"They told everyone in the world there were allegations of abuse and they were being investigated," Secretary Rumsfeld told reporters. On March 20, he added, Central Command "announced not only allegations, but they listed the types of abuses."

Lawson, a 23-year Army veteran, and other relatives of Sgt. Frederick, told those he wrote that they feared he and the other accused MPs were being made scapegoats "to save some general's carrer."

---

[conservative-m]

I thought this was interesting yet I am not surprised at all that Clinton and Kennedy knew. I wonder which of those people in that list of the democrats decided to use this story for political gain.

Its not a coincidence that as soon as the 9-11 Commission was going not there way that they drop that from need to know interest and “leaked” this story about prisoner abuse.

If Donald Rumsfeld resigns then those congressmen that knew about this should also have to resign in my opinion. I would love to hear Donald say the next time he is asked by the media “are you going to resign” I would love him to say “I will resign after Senators Jack Reed, Mark Dayton, Robert Byrd, Bill Nelson, Evan Bayh, Mark Pryor, Edward Kennedy, Benjamin Nelson, Hillary Clinton, Joseph Lieberman, Daniel Akaka, Paul Sarbanes, John D. Rockefeller, Governor Mark Warner and Rep. Roscoe Bartlett. Who knew about this yet did nothing including not contact me about this.” That would be a hoot, although we all know they would never play that on the news if he said that. What do you think about this story?

[reed_inthe_wind]

The timing of the release of the pictures was perfect for a propaganda machine - just after the commission (9/11) was fading from public interest and as the supreme court is looking into several cases regarding prisoner access to criminal court proceedings.

[TommyDale]

"I wonder which of those people in that list of the democrats decided to use this story for political gain."

All of them.

[CyberCowboy777]

What did they know and when did they know it?

[ride the whirlwind]

They could only have been feigning outrage, since they have been long aware of what was going on at Abu Ghraib; the e-mail letters fully alerted the 16 Democrats and Governor Warner of the prisoner abuse accusations.

These politicians are sickening in their hypocrisy.

[conservative-m]

Pretty Sick indeed. If the tables were turned and they were republicans (republicans would never do this) but if it was reversed the media would be calling for their resignation.

It would be nice if one of the news agencies decided to be bold and aired this part to the story.

[Reactionary]

Why, this can't be. Liberals are authentic. They would never feign outrage; they would never stand on corpses and proclaim their moral outrage in hopes of getting elected.

After all, when liberals use the word "atrocity," you can be sure they're refering to a subhuman murderer with panties on his head. The American who has his head slowly hacked off escapes these moral and intellectual swine.

[bulldog75]

I read this story yesterday and fired off an email to Phil Brennan (at NewsMax). Basically, I stated that in light of the Kerry petition calling for Don Rumsfeld's resignation, it might be interesting to turn things around. The 16 politicians named ( who apparenlty knew about the prison 'scandal') all have blood on their hands. Therefore, I think it would be a tremendous statement to circulate a petition naming each of them and demanding they step down. It's one thing to ask for the SecDef to walk. That would just be stupid and would cause a huge upheaval in the war effort. But senators and reps? Who cares? Nothing a quick election couldn't solve, right? I just don't how to go about getting a petition like that off the ground and getting the proper amount of attention. Any ideas? Anyone?

[LADY J]

Where is Drudge on this? Why aren't those names on his website!

[conservative-m]

if you have access to Rush Limbaughs web site I would recommend someone or everyone here to email him this story and the link to this thread. I am not sure how to get a petition but I am sure he does.

They SHOULD lose their jobs if this is true and at the very least there should be a 9-11 type commission looking into these "bloody" senators, hey they may have been able to prevent it.

[RoseD]

The news tonight is interesting. Questioning themselves if maybe they had overreported the so-called abuse of prisoners story. Senator Inhofe was right on saying that those pictures were in no way comparable to the killing of Nick Berg. I haven't watched Fox tonight to see if they will report the demos that knew in Feb. Think we should email Fox?

[RoseD]

YOU can call The Rush Limbaugh Show program line between 12 Noon and 3PM Eastern Time at: 1-800-282-2882

You can e-mail Rush at: rush@eibnet.com

You can fax Rush at: 212-563-9166

You can write Rush at:
The Rush Limbaugh Show
1270 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

[Cold Heat]

You can add Sen. Leahy to that list.

He was asking CYA questions to Rummy today about a letter he supposedly sent to Rummy's office in Feburary or there abouts.

Leahy claims he never got an answer to the elusive so-called letter.

[Cold Heat]

This thread is actually old news.(cyberspace time)

I am sure that Rush has it by now. It has been posted this AM and was discussed yesterday and the day prior.

[RoseD]

Sent it to Rush, Drudge and Fox news

[RoseD]

If Rush had it he would of talked about it, did he?

[NRA2BFree]

I thought this was interesting yet I am not surprised at all that Clinton and Kennedy knew. I wonder which of those people in that list of the democrats decided to use this story for political gain.

I'm sure ALL of them are using this for political gain. That's what RATS do.

Welcome to Free Republic. Great post for a beginner. I can't do that good and I've been here for 4 years. LOL

[conservative-m]

Didn't know that, just found this website yesterday. Its a great one too because this is the first site that I have found with inteligent people who are willing to listen and not bombard you with a zillion questions like I have been asked on liberal fourms.

[conservative-m]

LOL thank you. Actually I am a veteran to fourms and have been fighting/debating with Liberal/democrats for the last 3 years off and on.

Boy that gets boring because you make a point prove them wrong and they instantly move onto another theory they think is fact. They are never wrong but when you are a conservative you are always wrong. They think that because there is so little of us to oppose them that they are the majority of thinking and that everyone thinks the same way as they do.

I simply remind them that most conservatives have much better things to do then play the types of games they do. They doubt that very much but it is true, out of all the conservatives I know I am the only one that does fourms.

I am just happy to have found a fourm that isn't a Liberal breeding ground. From all looks this one looks great and I would rather post here than a liberal stronghold fourm that just likes to nit pick. So I will take your welcome with open arms and thank you.

[Cold Heat]

Welcome to FR.

If you have lurked her, you will see a bit of what we call flaming, from time to time.

But it happens when someone posts some un-supportable fact or opinion, or is otherwise just plain stupid.

Yes, it is a great site.