WP: U.S. Sent Specialists To Train Prison Units

[kskiska]

Allegations of Abuse Highlight Inexperience

Tuesday, May 4, 2004; Page A01

Presented with reports of abusive behavior by U.S. military guards at Baghdad's main prison, the Army two months ago quietly dispatched to Iraq a team of about 25 military police experienced in running detention facilities to shore up training and supervision, Army officials said yesterday.

It was the first group of such specialists sent to Iraq since the invasion last year, the officials said. The move followed an internal Army investigation that found military police at the Abu Ghraib prison largely unprepared for their role as guards and accused them of grossly mistreating Iraqi detainees, the officials said.

The decision to send the special team reflected an acknowledgement by U.S. military commanders that the abuse of detainees and laxness in oversight evident at the prison may extend beyond the small group of enlisted soldiers and officers charged or reprimanded so far and require broader remedial action.

Although military police are frequently used to take control of prisoners in the field and escort them to detention centers, most are not trained to operate prisons, the officials said. That responsibility falls to a tiny share of the Army's military police force -- about 970 out of 38,000 troops -- who receive specific training to run correctional facilities. The Army maintains several such permanent prisons in the United States and abroad.

The 25 specialists dispatched to Iraq will operate as a "mobile training team," the officials said, working with military police units that have rotated into the country in recent weeks to replace other forces.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A64172-2004May3.html

[whistle]

1. Specialists in torture, right....

...This whole thing stinks to high heaven!

[Rick Myers]

2. Specialists in 'covering it up!'

:grr:

[MikeG]

3. Specialists in figure studies. And gay porn.

[saigon68]

6. That's not Gay Porn

Its total violence. Like saying rape is sex---ITS NOT its EXTREME VIOLENCE DONE TO DEBASE ANOTHER HUMAN BEING

sorry don't take this post the wrong way--its been a long day :-)

[fishnfla]

4. 2 months ago, too little, too late

The crimes took place last Fall.

[bobthedrummer]

5. What was going on in that prison was going on elsewhere

and the Iraqi people heard and knew of it months ago and now a lot of GI's are being killed or wounded because of the behavior of criminals hiding in "national security"-these spooks must be prosecuted.

The administration of George W. Bush aka The War President has committed war crimes in the failed Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive war, our troops are being abused by the neo-conservative traitors of PNAC.

NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.