[Vision2020] Rumsfeld, et al
Art Deco aka W. Fox
deco@moscow.com
Fri, 7 May 2004 20:08:29 -0700
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May 7, 2004
Red Cross Says It Warned U.S. of Prisoner Abuse Last Year, but Bremer First
Heard in January
By Louis Meixler
Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP ) - The Red Cross said Friday that it had been warning of
prisoner abuse in Iraq since shortly after the U.S.-led invasion. U.S.
administrator L. Paul Bremer said he first became aware of the allegations in
January.
Also, a senior U.S. military officer in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, said the
damage to Iraqi-American ties caused by the scandal "is not irreparable," but he
admitted that improving relations with Iraqis is "going to take some effort on
behalf of the Americans."
President Bush, in an interview published in an Egyptian newspaper, acknowledged
that "times are tough for the United States and the Middle East" and again
apologized for the conduct of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, using the word "sorry" six
times.
U.S. officials insist the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison was limited
and did not reflect policy.
However, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it warned American
officials of prisoner abuse in Iraq more than a year ago and that the
mistreatment was "not individual acts."
"There was a pattern and a system," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, the ICRC's director of
operations, said in Geneva. Some of the actions were "tantamount to torture," he
said.
The ICRC findings were "discussed at different moments between March and
November 2003, either in direct face-to-face conversations or in written
interventions," Kraehenbuehl said.
Some of the earlier discussions were with Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, commander
of the 800th Military Police Brigade overseeing the prison.
Karpinski has been suspended by the military as part of its probe into the
abuses.
In February, ICRC officials discussed a report on the subject with Bremer and
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Kraehenbuehl
said.
Kraehenbuehl refused to give details of the report, but confirmed that a leaked
ICRC report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal was genuine.
The report summarized information given to U.S. officials since shortly after
Iraq was invaded in March 2003, Kraehenbuehl said.
It described prisoners kept naked in total darkness and male prisoners forced to
wear women's underwear, the Journal said.
In another episode, nine men were arrested and beaten severely, and one of them
died, the newspaper said.
"Ill-treatment during interrogation was not systematic, except with regard to
persons arrested with suspected security offenses or deemed to have an
intelligence value," the report said, according to the newspaper.
Kraehenbuehl said American authorities took action on some issues but "there
were situations that remained unacceptable and difficult."
There also were problems with prisoners held by the British, Kraehenbuehl said,
but he refused to elaborate.
On Friday, one former prisoner, Fawzi Faisal, told The Associated Press in Mosul
he was arrested in December and brought to a lockup in northern Iraq, where "the
Americans started to beat me severely and they put a sack on my head for seven
days."
Faisal, who said he was arrested on suspicion of attacking Americans, was later
brought to Abu Ghraib, where he said soldiers entered his room "with dogs in
order to frighten us."
A British television station reported Friday that a young Iraqi girl held at Abu
Ghraib was stripped naked and beaten while her brother heard her scream from
another cell.
The ITV News report quoted Suhaib al-Baz, 24, a cameraman for the Arab satellite
TV network Al-Jazeera, as saying he saw the abuse while he was being held at the
prison.
Earlier, al-Baz told the AP he was stripped, beaten, spat upon and deprived of
sleep during his 74-day stint in U.S. Army custody.
The Swiss-based ICRC is designated by the Geneva Conventions on warfare to visit
prisoners of war and other people detained by an occupying power to ensure that
countries respect obligations under the 1949 accords.
Dan Senor, spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority, said Bremer was
made aware of the accusation concerning prisoner abuse in January.
That month, the U.S. command said it began investigating allegations of
mistreatment of prisoners at a coalition detention center, later identified as
Abu Ghraib. The probe started after a soldier at the lockup said he could not
tolerate abuses he witnessed and presented pictures to his superiors.
Senor said he was not sure when Bremer first saw photographs of the abuse. Those
photographs - first shown last week on CBS - unleashed worldwide condemnation of
the way America was treating prisoners in a country the United States says it
invaded to liberate from Saddam Hussein's tyranny.
U.S. officials in Baghdad have been desperately trying to calm the shock and
anger felt throughout the Arab world, where there is already deep suspicion
about U.S. intentions in Iraq. The anger is intensified by the fact that Abu
Ghraib was a notorious prison under Saddam where prisoners were tortured and
executed.
"Obviously, our reputation has been damaged severely by the terrible and
horrible acts, inhumane acts that were conducted on Iraqi prisoners," Bush told
Egypt's al-Ahram newspaper.
"I can't tell you how sorry I am to them and their families for the humiliation.
I'm also sorry because people are then able to say, 'Look how terrible America
is.'"
Senor said the six soldiers who face criminal charges in the abuse scandal will
be brought to trial and their hearings will be a "a fair and transparent
process."
Army Pfc. Lynndie England, shown in photographs smiling and pointing at naked
Iraqi prisoners, became the seventh soldier charged Friday by the military.
Kimmitt said the United States has "to show to Iraqis that U.S. justice works."
In Kufa, a radical Shiite Muslim cleric whose militia has fought U.S. troops
rejected Bush's apology and demanded that the accused soldiers be tried in Iraq.
"What sort of freedom and democracy can we expect from you (Americans) when you
take such joy in torturing Iraqi prisoners?" Muqtada al-Sadr said to worshippers
at a mosque.
"America claims that it is fighting terrorism, and not sponsoring it, and is
spreading justice and equality among peoples and freedom and democracy," al-Sadr
said. "Now it is doing the same acts done by the small devil Saddam and in the
same place where Iraqis were oppressed."
U.S. forces clashed with militiamen loyal to al-Sadr Friday, killing 23 Iraqis.
AP-ES-05-07-04 2228EDT
This story can be found at: http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAZ13O3ZTD.html
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Hansen
To: Tbertruss@aol.com ; DonaldH675@aol.com ; vision2020@moscow.com
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 7:52 PM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Rumsfeld
In other words Rumsfeld is repeating what has been said by the media.
"This POW disgrace will take a couple generations for us to recover from."
Along with some "laughable optimism" we have the makings for a major sitcom.
Anybody have ideas for the story theme?
Tom Hansen
SFC, US Army (Retired)
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Tbertruss@aol.com
Sent: Friday, May 07, 2004 4:50 PM
To: DonaldH675@aol.com; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Rumsfeld
Rose and All:
The whole PNAC bunch needs to be sent home, Rumsfeld included. However,
Rumsfeld has publicly admitted that the war in Iraq has presented long term
difficulties he did not expect, so he has recanted his earlier rather laughable
optimism regarding the probability of a long term war.
Ted Moffett
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<P>May 7, 2004</P>
<H2>Red Cross Says It Warned U.S. of Prisoner Abuse Last Year, but =
Bremer First=20
Heard in January</H2>By Louis Meixler<BR>Associated Press Writer=20
<BR><BR>BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP ) - The Red Cross said Friday that it had been =
warning=20
of prisoner abuse in Iraq since shortly after the U.S.-led invasion. =
U.S.=20
administrator L. Paul Bremer said he first became aware of the =
allegations in=20
January.=20
<P>Also, a senior U.S. military officer in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Mark =
Kimmitt, said=20
the damage to Iraqi-American ties caused by the scandal "is not =
irreparable,"=20
but he admitted that improving relations with Iraqis is "going to take =
some=20
effort on behalf of the Americans."=20
<P>President Bush, in an interview published in an Egyptian newspaper,=20
acknowledged that "times are tough for the United States and the Middle =
East"=20
and again apologized for the conduct of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, using the =
word=20
"sorry" six times.=20
<P>U.S. officials insist the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison was =
limited=20
and did not reflect policy.=20
<P>However, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it warned =
American=20
officials of prisoner abuse in Iraq more than a year ago and that the=20
mistreatment was "not individual acts."=20
<P>"There was a pattern and a system," Pierre Kraehenbuehl, the ICRC's =
director=20
of operations, said in Geneva. Some of the actions were "tantamount to =
torture,"=20
he said.=20
<P>The ICRC findings were "discussed at different moments between March =
and=20
November 2003, either in direct face-to-face conversations or in written =
interventions," Kraehenbuehl said.=20
<P>Some of the earlier discussions were with Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, =
commander of the 800th Military Police Brigade overseeing the prison.=20
<P>Karpinski has been suspended by the military as part of its probe =
into the=20
abuses.=20
<P>In February, ICRC officials discussed a report on the subject with =
Bremer and=20
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, =
Kraehenbuehl=20
said.=20
<P>Kraehenbuehl refused to give details of the report, but confirmed =
that a=20
leaked ICRC report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal was =
genuine.=20
<P>The report summarized information given to U.S. officials since =
shortly after=20
Iraq was invaded in March 2003, Kraehenbuehl said.=20
<P>It described prisoners kept naked in total darkness and male =
prisoners forced=20
to wear women's underwear, the Journal said.=20
<P>In another episode, nine men were arrested and beaten severely, and =
one of=20
them died, the newspaper said.=20
<P>"Ill-treatment during interrogation was not systematic, except with =
regard to=20
persons arrested with suspected security offenses or deemed to have an=20
intelligence value," the report said, according to the newspaper.=20
<P>Kraehenbuehl said American authorities took action on some issues but =
"there=20
were situations that remained unacceptable and difficult."=20
<P>There also were problems with prisoners held by the British, =
Kraehenbuehl=20
said, but he refused to elaborate.=20
<P>On Friday, one former prisoner, Fawzi Faisal, told The Associated =
Press in=20
Mosul he was arrested in December and brought to a lockup in northern =
Iraq,=20
where "the Americans started to beat me severely and they put a sack on =
my head=20
for seven days."=20
<P>Faisal, who said he was arrested on suspicion of attacking Americans, =
was=20
later brought to Abu Ghraib, where he said soldiers entered his room =
"with dogs=20
in order to frighten us."=20
<P>A British television station reported Friday that a young Iraqi girl =
held at=20
Abu Ghraib was stripped naked and beaten while her brother heard her =
scream from=20
another cell.=20
<P>The ITV News report quoted Suhaib al-Baz, 24, a cameraman for the =
Arab=20
satellite TV network Al-Jazeera, as saying he saw the abuse while he was =
being=20
held at the prison.=20
<P>Earlier, al-Baz told the AP he was stripped, beaten, spat upon and =
deprived=20
of sleep during his 74-day stint in U.S. Army custody.=20
<P>The Swiss-based ICRC is designated by the Geneva Conventions on =
warfare to=20
visit prisoners of war and other people detained by an occupying power =
to ensure=20
that countries respect obligations under the 1949 accords.=20
<P>Dan Senor, spokesman for the Coalition Provisional Authority, said =
Bremer was=20
made aware of the accusation concerning prisoner abuse in January.=20
<P>That month, the U.S. command said it began investigating allegations =
of=20
mistreatment of prisoners at a coalition detention center, later =
identified as=20
Abu Ghraib. The probe started after a soldier at the lockup said he =
could not=20
tolerate abuses he witnessed and presented pictures to his superiors.=20
<P>Senor said he was not sure when Bremer first saw photographs of the =
abuse.=20
Those photographs - first shown last week on CBS - unleashed worldwide=20
condemnation of the way America was treating prisoners in a country the =
United=20
States says it invaded to liberate from Saddam Hussein's tyranny.=20
<P>U.S. officials in Baghdad have been desperately trying to calm the =
shock and=20
anger felt throughout the Arab world, where there is already deep =
suspicion=20
about U.S. intentions in Iraq. The anger is intensified by the fact that =
Abu=20
Ghraib was a notorious prison under Saddam where prisoners were tortured =
and=20
executed.=20
<P>"Obviously, our reputation has been damaged severely by the terrible =
and=20
horrible acts, inhumane acts that were conducted on Iraqi prisoners," =
Bush told=20
Egypt's al-Ahram newspaper.=20
<P>"I can't tell you how sorry I am to them and their families for the=20
humiliation. I'm also sorry because people are then able to say, 'Look =
how=20
terrible America is.'"=20
<P>Senor said the six soldiers who face criminal charges in the abuse =
scandal=20
will be brought to trial and their hearings will be a "a fair and =
transparent=20
process."=20
<P>Army Pfc. Lynndie England, shown in photographs smiling and pointing =
at naked=20
Iraqi prisoners, became the seventh soldier charged Friday by the =
military.=20
<P>Kimmitt said the United States has "to show to Iraqis that U.S. =
justice=20
works."=20
<P>In Kufa, a radical Shiite Muslim cleric whose militia has fought U.S. =
troops=20
rejected Bush's apology and demanded that the accused soldiers be tried =
in Iraq.=20
<P>"What sort of freedom and democracy can we expect from you =
(Americans) when=20
you take such joy in torturing Iraqi prisoners?" Muqtada al-Sadr said to =
worshippers at a mosque.=20
<P>"America claims that it is fighting terrorism, and not sponsoring it, =
and is=20
spreading justice and equality among peoples and freedom and democracy," =
al-Sadr=20
said. "Now it is doing the same acts done by the small devil Saddam and =
in the=20
same place where Iraqis were oppressed."=20
<P>U.S. forces clashed with militiamen loyal to al-Sadr Friday, killing =
23=20
Iraqis.=20
<P>AP-ES-05-07-04 2228EDT <BR><BR><B>This story can be found at:</B> <A=20
href=3D"http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAZ13O3ZTD.html">http://ap.tbo.com=
/ap/breaking/MGAZ13O3ZTD.html</A><BR></P></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
<A title=3Dthansen@moscow.com href=3D"mailto:thansen@moscow.com">Tom =
Hansen</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=3DTbertruss@aol.com=20
href=3D"mailto:Tbertruss@aol.com">Tbertruss@aol.com</A> ; <A=20
title=3DDonaldH675@aol.com=20
href=3D"mailto:DonaldH675@aol.com">DonaldH675@aol.com</A> ; <A=20
title=3Dvision2020@moscow.com=20
href=3D"mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, May 07, 2004 7:52 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] =
Rumsfeld</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>In other words=20
Rumsfeld is repeating what has been said by the media. =20
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>"This POW=20
disgrace will take a couple generations for us to recover=20
from."</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Along with some=20
"laughable optimism" we have the makings for a major=20
sitcom.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Anybody have=20
ideas for the story theme?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Tom=20
Hansen</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D962104802-08052004><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>SFC, US Army=20
(Retired)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid">
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> <A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com">vision2020-admin@moscow.com</=
A>=20
[mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B><A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:Tbertruss@aol.com">Tbertruss@aol.com</A><BR><B>Sent:</B>=20
Friday, May 07, 2004 4:50 PM<BR><B>To:</B> DonaldH675@aol.com;=20
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020]=20
Rumsfeld<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT face=3Darial,helvetica><FONT =
lang=3D0=20
face=3DArial size=3D2 PTSIZE=3D"10" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"><BR>Rose =
and=20
All:<BR><BR>The whole PNAC bunch needs to be sent home, Rumsfeld=20
included. However, Rumsfeld has publicly admitted that the war =
in Iraq=20
has presented long term difficulties he did not expect, so he has =
recanted=20
his earlier rather laughable optimism regarding the probability of a =
long=20
term war.<BR><BR>Ted Moffett</FONT>=20
</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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