Abuses an aberration, report says

[BaysideLiberal]

Washington -- The Army's Inspector General reported Thursday that 94 incidents of confirmed or possible detainee abuse had occurred in U.S. prison facilities throughout Iraq and Afghanistan, but it added that the incidents did not result from "systemic" problems, even though a months-long inspection found soldiers were inadequately trained and lacked proper supervision and clear orders.

The report by Lt. Gen. Paul Mikolashek, presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee at a hastily scheduled hearing, concluded that the abuses such as those at Abu Ghraib prison were aberrations that did not result from flawed Army doctrine.

Mikolashek and his team blamed 20 detainee deaths and 74 other reported abuses, including beatings, sex assaults and thefts, on "the failure of individuals to follow known standards of discipline and Army values and, in some cases, the failure of a few leaders to enforce those standards of discipline."

Mikolashek's 300-page report detailed failures at 16 prison facilities. But it said the individual abuse cases were not part of a pattern and involved only a tiny percentage of the more than 50,000 detainees who have been held by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Pentagon and the Bush administration have blamed a few rogue soldiers for the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

"These abuses should be viewed as what they are -- unauthorized actions taken by a few individuals," said the report, which went on to praise the majority of soldiers. "We found numerous examples of military professionalism, ingrained Army values and moral courage in both leaders and soldiers."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/07/23/MNGQH7RTQ21.DTL

[searchingforlight]

1. whitewash white house; fox guarding hen house; yadda, yadda, yadda

[Media_Lies_Daily]

2. Just another fall-back position...the REAL truth is getting much closer.

[ClintonTyree]

3. 94 incidents........

20 deaths (that they admit to) are far more than an aberration. One, two or three is an aberration. With the numbers we're dealing with it is a systemic problem. More self denial from the Pentagon, the greatest waste of taxpayer money in existence.

[Webster Green]

4. Bullshit! I call "Bullshit"!!

This kind of stuff goes on daily in our own jails and prisons. Its not too much of a stretch to imagine it goes on everyday in our detention facilities in Iraq, camp X-Ray, and at other secret locations worldwide, where the detainees have been thouroughly demonized by our fearful leader.

The people guarding these detainees think their prisoners are the ones responsible for 9/11 and all the other evils of the world. The evil, smirking war-chimp made sure everyone got that message. He is responsible for the torture.

[Tempest]

5. NPR This Morning - Complete Whitewash

The investigators did NOT investigate the chain of military command above the soldier level. They completely ignored the command level and they admitted it.

The investigators claimed there was NO instances of unmuzzled dogs being used. John McCain told the investigators (an audio clip was played) that he was specifically told they were. And we know there are pictures to prove it, including prisoners with dog bites.

The investigators claimed Sanchez did NOT give orders which contributed to the abuse. McCain stated that they knew Sanchez gave the order and have proof of it.

The investigators completely ignored the Pentagon memos outlining what abuse would be acceptable.


The segment should be posted on NPR's web site by tomorrow.

[sidpleasant]

6. So "a few rogue soldiers" are holding 100+ kids in Abu Ghraib?

It's quite a relief to learn that imprisoning over a hundred children in the hell - hole of Abu Ghraib is one of those "unauthorized actions taken by a few individuals" and not a "systemic" problem. That makes it all OK I guess.