No High Ranking Officers or Officials are Currently Facing Court Martial?

[bigtree]

But some have been reassigned or reprimanded for their conduct at the Iraq prison. The 'investigation' and hearings have not penetrated the upper tier's culpability in these abuses. The report details the lack of a firm command structure at the prisons, with uniformed officers with access to the prisons, exercising their authority over the lower ranking soldiers.

They have a planned deniability that allows them to skirt responsibility that they gave orders to abuse the detainees. There is apparently no paper trail, but there are a number of the lowere ranking soldiers who will testify that they were ordered to abuse the detainees by these rouge intelligence officers who took charge whenever they they wanted.

Who was in charge of these soldiers, and why aren't they facing court-martial along with the lower ranking abusers? As I watch these oficials line up and testify, I am struck by their assurances that these abuses will not happen again, but I wonder why the same officials that allowed these abuses to happen are being allowed to keep their positions?

Who actually believes that there is not a cover-up of the leader's culpability as we castigate the underlings? Classic cover-up, and we are allowing them to prosecute first, and possibly discredit and silence these soldiers who, to the defendant, accuse their superiors of culpability and coersion.

We are being manipulated by the same group of officials who got us in this illegal war in the first place. As we watch their testimony, we should remember that this bunch has never lent themselves or their clique to accountability.

Taguba's report is being challenged by the soldiers statements. They insist that the abuses were policy. Taguba admits that supervision was lax, yet he denies that there was a policy that encouraged or allowed abuses. How does he know what the chain of command was? He says that there was no clear leadership, with officers from different departments coming in and out of the prisons, giving orders. How would he know what was ordered, and when? By the denials of the officers? Why is their word any more reliable than the soldiers?

I agree with a statement I read that, "Sometimes it is a soldier’s duty to tell the truth, no matter what" "Sometime you have to weigh your duty to your government, and the duty to your fellow soldiers to protect them and keep them safe. I feel the duty to my fellow soldier out weighs any loyalty to my government. I do not see this as treason or betraying my command. This was from an interview conducted with a US Army high level commander who had been back from Iraq less than two weeks. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5623.htm

But I am also mindful of the military environment where freedom of expression and freedom of action is discouraged. I have an example of the mindset and attitude of those in charge of our soldiers, a quote from the NCO creed:

“I will be loyal to those with whom I serve; seniors, peers, and subordinates alike.” A sign of a weak leader is one who tells their soldiers “The boss says we gotta do this...” instead of “Do this!” Sergeants have a responsibility to follow orders, and give orders to your squad or team. That is what leadership is all about. There is a time and a way to ask questions. Be tactful, and approach it in a professional manner. You will be respected for your actions and concern. There is a major difference between providing input on or clarifying orders, and questioning orders. If you have concerns, address it through your chain of command. Don’t complain in front of your subordinates. But after you have discussed your issues, execute the mission to the best of your ability, even if you may not particularly agree with it.

There is room for dissention in the lower ranks, but you can bet that the culture discourages dissension at every level, much less from a grunt. I don't excuse any abuse. I do recognize the cover-up of the actions of the higher ranking officials and I assert that their actions and avoidance of blame and responsibility, and the aiding in their avoidance by their upper ranking peers is as important, and possibly more dangerous than the actions of the underlings.


Me Book

[qb]

1. They're trying desperately to hide the fact that torture is sanctioned

by the US. Shut up everyone but the soldiers who were actually caught on film.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. There is a coverup

the men and women who lead the army do not want to face to the fact that orders have trickled down from the highest levels of Civilian Leadership

They have turned their heads

In that they have violated the Officer's Creed and they have also violated their oath to the Constitiution.

It looks to me that Taquba did as good of a job as he could. In fact he did such a good job that he has been transfered to doctrine command for the Guard... which is a dead end job. His career is over.

This is a cover up of the brotherhood at the highest levels...

[Solly Mack]

4. and don't you wonder just who is no longer "working" at AG

now that the spotlight is on the prison?

[bigtree]

6. If there was no leadership as the report states, then Bush is to blame

Taquba is covering up for the superiors. There seems to be no drive from him to hold any of the leaders accountable. From what evidence. The soldiers accused have claimed they were ordered to the actions photographed. Taquba seems to have set his report to the tune of the Pentagon and the White House who want to escape blame and responsibility by restricting their accountability to 'a few bad apples'.

Imagine Saddam Hussein using this defense. Count on it. The noose of the Bush cabal's hypocrisy is tightening at the hands of their own lies. Jail and humiliation for the soldiers, and reprimands and transfers for their superiors? Remember, these goons always reemerge,'hands clean' to mount some new assault on liberties.

That's what we have in power now.

[redqueen]

3. This AM on Washington Journal

a reporter named Bender (forget his first name) took a call from a military guy who expressed surprise that it was only low level troops getting called out for this. He said you know these were people who weren't in charge of anything so what gives?

The reporter said that this was the first round, and that as things progressed they'd proceed higher and higher. It was really sad watching him stammer and stumble trying to explain why these were the only people being put in the spotlight.

I've heard there's a CIA plant in every newsroom... hope they're not too tough on ole Bender. He at least tried to make it sound good for all the suckers.

[bigtree]

5. Same group of liars that got us into this war

are the ones who are expressing horror at the photos of the prison abuses. Did they see the pictures of the carnage from their indiscriminate bombings? Where was the outrage? They ordered the bombing of innocent civilians, it stands to reason that they sanctioned the abuse and torture of Iraqi detainees, many of whom were found innocent and eventually released. Did you see the tatooed Iraqi who was on the news last night. What did this man do to be rounded up and thrown into the chamber of horrors? He was Iraqi. That's apparently all that is needed to detain these folks under orders from the top. Who doesn't believe that the treatment of the detainees was sanctioned and encouraged from thwe top?

[bigtree]

7. The Taquba seeks to put a ceiling on accountability for the tortures

He came to his conclusion that no orders were given before the testimony of the accused soldiers, seeking to undermine their claims and insulate the upper ranking officials from culpability. No good! There must be a further probing of the culture that was certainly sanctioned and approved of by these soldier's superiors. The British know the ugly truth and they are amazed at the gullibility of the Americans as we swallow the lies that Bush, Rummy and the rest of the cabal feed us.