MASSIVE TORTURE/ABUSE COVERUP – 4 top Army officers CLEARED

[Nothing Without Hope]

As you can imagine, there have been expressions of dismay about this ruling, which is manifestly a huge coverup by the Army and the Bush Administration. Amazing how brazen these people really are.

To get some fresh idea of just how widespread US-sponsored kidnapping and torture really are, BE SURE TO ALSO READ THIS ARTICLE by a respected British investigative reporter:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1740193
Thread title: MUST READ- French article on US TORTURE with interviews of ex-CIA agents
(I regret using the word “French” in the title as it is too narrow – this particular article is in a French magazine, but the writer is has also had a BBC broadcast, many Sunday Times articles and an Atlantic Monthly article on this subject area.

It makes it clear that they were ALL involved and that an elaborate faux legalism underlies the whole thing.)

Here is the NY Times article on the clearing of those very few officers that were accused of torture abuse:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/23/politics/23abuse.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print&position=

Four Top Officers Cleared by Army in Prison Abuses

By ERIC SCHMITT

WASHINGTON, April 22 - A high-level Army investigation has cleared four of the five top Army officers overseeing prison policies and operations in Iraq of responsibility for the abuse of detainees there, Congressional and administration officials said Friday.

Among the officers was Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, who was the top commander in Iraq from June 2003 to July 2004. He was the highest-ranking officer to face allegations of leadership failure in connection with the scandal, but he was not accused of criminal misconduct.

Barring new evidence, the inquiry, by the Army's inspector general, effectively closes the Army's book on whether the highest-ranking officers in Iraq during the Abu Ghraib prison scandal should be held accountable for command failings described in past reviews.

Only one of the top five officers, whose roles the Senate Armed Services Committee had asked the Army to review, has received any punishment. That officer, Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, an Army Reserve officer who commanded the military police unit at the Abu Ghraib prison, was relieved of her command and given a written reprimand. She has repeatedly said she was made the scapegoat for the failures.

(snip)

[indepat]

1. Has military justice been bushwhacked?

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. Great Groucho Marx quote on military justice sort of answers that question

"Military justice is to justice what military music is to music."

[spooky3]

2. The buck stops where?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Actually the White House

that is why you give 15 to an NCO, and zero to a BGen or a LtGen.

[spooky3]

9. apparently not with THIS White House

This one seems to just search for a low ranked scapegoat and wipe their hands of the problem, and the media just look the other way.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Why did they even bother with this "investigation"

Las Vegas probably wouldn't have even taken odds the the outcome of such a sure thing.

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. I'm sure it was "regulations." And maybe they thought that if they

dragged it out long enough, we'd all forget about it. After all, they were just a bunch of brown-sinned "ragheads," right? (Though I suppose "ragheads" doesn't include the women and children who were also abusesd and tortured.)

[rodeodance]

6. lets see of O'Lielly goes after this story!!

[thecai]

7. Say WHAT?!?!?

Military prison-abuse is ok now, nevermind the Geneava Convention, this administration makes up it's own rules as they go along.

Oh, wait, I already knew that.

I've also known of and reported inmate abuse in America for YEARS, which has been denied, ignored, covered up, exalted, and worse.
This is unacceptable, but am I the only one outraged?

[LiberalCompassionate]

10. I am not surprised

that the only one "punished" was a female. It goes with the 14 points of a fascist state, rampant sexism. Besides, wasn't it also a female private who was found guilty? what's her name again, Lindsay?? See, we military folk practice affirmative action.
:sarcasm:

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. DON"T MISS this other article on US KIDNAPPINGS and TORTURE

It's by a respected British investigative reporter who has published earlier parts of the story in the Times and broadcast on the BBC: It includes interviews of EX-CIA AGENTS:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1740193&mesg_id=1740193

And be sure to read through the comments as well.

The irony of its juxtaposition with THIS article will choke you.

[izzybeans]

12. Thank you. and Thank you again for keeping it kicked.

My stomach is suddenly churning.

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. PLEASE help me get this Stephen Grey story OUT

It's all based on legalisms that people like Gonzales MAKE UP. Read the Grey article and his other work and pass the word on! If you have any suggestions for me to help this process along, let me know. I've already posted in a Diary at Daily Kos here:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/4/23/1577/49097

Time is running out on this post, I'll have to repost when it disappears from DU. It's so frustrating - we have GOT to get people to LISTEN!!!

[izzybeans]

14. Have you emailed this Oshansky (spelling) lady?

She seems to be on to something. Are the legal arguments public knowledge?

If posting this on Kos doesn't cause it to grow legs then I'm not sure what else to do other than keeping it from falling off the radar. I'll keep my eye on this.

Thank you.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. So much is posted on Kos, just like here, it's easily lost.

I don't understand your comment about Oshansky - guess I'm not well informed. Tomorrow I'll try to repost and send it to more blogs too. I'll also PM LaLa_RawRaw (DU username for a Raw Story writer and see if she can stimulate some interest.

Thank you!

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. kick n/t

[lady lib]

17. Yessiree - those hoods and dogs must have come from

the low level military personnel - probably smuggled them in in their baggage.

[paineinthearse]

18. When there is damning evidence of malfeisance and impropriety

why to these posts sink?

:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. kick - this is important n/t

[Rockholm]

20. Bush said "those responsible would be taken care of."

Looks like those words were true!

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Great CAPTIONED PHOTO for this travesty: