Pentagon to Give Congress Abuse Photos

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon (news - web sites) will give Congress unreleased photos showing Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S. soldiers, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) said Sunday.


Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said lawmakers will be allowed to view the photos in private.


"When it may get into the public domain, I'm not able to answer that question," Warner told NBC's "Meet the Press."


Sen. Lindsey Graham, also a member of the committee that heard Rumsfeld's testimony on Friday, said the Bush administration needs to make public the additional photos as soon as possible. "If there's more to come, let's get it out," said Graham, R-S.C.


"For God's sake, let's talk about it because (U.S. military) men and women's lives are at stake given how we handle this," he said.


Previously released photos, depicting the torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners, have led to worldwide condemnation and led to calls for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's resignation.
~snip~

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=703&e=1&u=/ap/20040509/ap_on_go_co/prisoner_abuse_congress

[maddezmom]

1. And the military intelligence, including I believe the CIA have got to be.

~snip~
The committee's top Democrat, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, said the abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad indicated the failure of the administration's Iraq (news - web sites) policy.


"This is not just a few guards in some kind of an aberrant conduct. This is a much more systemic problem here," Levin said.


"And the military intelligence, including I believe the CIA (news - web sites), ... have got to be held accountable, right up the chain."
~snip~

[Tinoire]

19. I agree but to whom does Military Intel report?

CIA. DIA. NSA. FBI.

Bring it ON!

[Just Me]

30. The "commander-in-chief" establishes the "VISION",...

,...along with all those who surround him and support him. His "vision" was about using force to "MAKE" others bow to "his" superiority.

That "vision" trickles down.

Funny how "trickle down" economics and foreign policy and domestic policy work. All benefits are controlled by the tip and all burdens borne by everyone below.

[Barrett808]

2. Wonder if they'll give them up all at once, or stage the release

For damage-control purposes, they might want to stage the release from least-horrifying to most, in order to desensitize the public.

[maddezmom]

10. they better release them all at once, they have no idea how many copies

are out in the mainstream......

[alcuno]

3. I just heard the point. Get Congress to view them and comment on them

thus "softening up" the citizenry so that when they are released it'll be no big deal. Who thinks that will work?

[maddezmom]

4. Sy Hersh has more photos and new article today

~snip~
Taguba’s report was triggered by a soldier’s decision to give Army investigators photographs of the sexual humiliation and abuse of prisoners. These images were first broadcast on “60 Minutes II” on April 28th. Seven enlisted members of the 372nd Military Police Company of the 320th Military Police Battalion, an Army reserve unit, are now facing prosecution, and six officers have been reprimanded. Last week, I was given another set of digital photographs, which had been in the possession of a member of the 320th. According to a time sequence embedded in the digital files, the photographs were taken by two different cameras over a twelve-minute period on the evening of December 12, 2003, two months after the military-police unit was assigned to Abu Ghraib.


An Iraqi prisoner and American military dog handlers. Other photographs show the Iraqi on the ground, bleeding.
One of the new photographs shows a young soldier, wearing a dark jacket over his uniform and smiling into the camera, in the corridor of the jail. In the background are two Army dog handlers, in full camouflage combat gear, restraining two German shepherds. The dogs are barking at a man who is partly obscured from the camera’s view by the smiling soldier. Another image shows that the man, an Iraqi prisoner, is naked. His hands are clasped behind his neck and he is leaning against the door to a cell, contorted with terror, as the dogs bark a few feet away. Other photographs show the dogs straining at their leashes and snarling at the prisoner. In another, taken a few minutes later, the Iraqi is lying on the ground, writhing in pain, with a soldier sitting on top of him, knee pressed to his back. Blood is streaming from the inmate’s leg. Another photograph is a closeup of the naked prisoner, from his waist to his ankles, lying on the floor. On his right thigh is what appears to be a bite or a deep scratch. There is another, larger wound on his left leg, covered in blood.

~snip~
much more: http://newyorker.com/fact/content/?040517fa_fact2

[tedzbear]

6. This sounds horrible...

This is actual, physical torture (bites) which is strictly forbidden by the Geneva Convention. Fire Rumsfield, fire General Myers!!!!

:mad:

[Judi Lynn]

7. Here's one hero, mentioned in the article you linked

In his devastating report on conditions at Abu Ghraib prison, in Iraq, Major General Antonio M. Taguba singled out only three military men for praise. One of them, Master-at-Arms William J. Kimbro, a Navy dog handler, should be commended, Taguba wrote, because he “knew his duties and refused to participate in improper interrogations despite significant pressure from the MI”—military intelligence—“personnel at Abu Ghraib.”

It takes real courage to risk your entire career and possibly prison, the way these guys operate, to stand up for your beliefs.

THAT'S what you'd expect from a "real Christian."

[cliss]

5. Why don't they have a slide show?

Or maybe they can assemble the photos, starting with the least offensive, and work their way up, to the hard-core ones. Or maybe they can have a "photo of the week" presentation, so as not to offend or shock the Congress too much.

That way, the blow can be softened for Rumsfeld and he can be shown in action, ferreting out the culprits and making sure they get in trouble over this.

I'm not sure if this is a ploy to make Rumsfeld look better. Either way, he needs to be gone yesterday.

[saigon68]

8. PENTAGON COVER-UP PROGRESSING NICELY---MYERS

Meyers is working overtime to keep the lid on this. According to MSNBC the "PICTURES
AREN'T EVEN IN DC YET"

What a Freaking LIE. They could send a Giga bite of data in 2 seconds for heaven sakes ---do
they believe we are that STOOPID ??

NeoCon Fucking liars posing as Generals



Next week or the week after next the NEOCON Generals plan to let a few select congressMEN
see them..

Then after the congressMEN go on TV with their usual outrage statements THE PENTAGON
will decide what to do next.

I hope the DINOS and others keep the heat on these CRIMINALS IN UNIFORM

[PaDUer]

15. "I hope the DINOS and others keep the heat on these CRIMINALS IN UNIFORM"

The way to ensure the heat's kept on is by contacting them constantly so they're aware the people are NOT going to let this go..Remember the other day I posted about reading the Pravda board..those people are waiting to see what the people do, and they do NOT want the people to let this slide as everything else..

[2Design]

9. OT take action at amnesty site open letter to bush publish

Take action on story at http://www.amnestyusa.org/

open letter to bush from amnesty
usa admin has received many reports over the last two years.

http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=77EC1B8868C9828F80256E8D0041F7B5
http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=B04794EDFE431D1885256E8D0051A241

[ColdWarZoomie]

11. I Think the Pics/Video are Out

Sounds to me like this stuff is out and ready to publish since Graham is saying to go ahead and get it over with, and Warner doesn't know when they will be published.

Since Hersh obviously has an insider who gave him the original report and pics, I think this same source had access to everything.

Somebody's sitting on them, somewhere out there, and orchestrating the demise of Rumsfeld.

[Tansy_Gold]

20. Where? Where are they?

I don't get this. It makes me jumpy as hell.

We know the troops were cyber savvy. We know they had digital cameras and were swapping files, putting pix on as screensavers, etc.

So, why isn't someone who has these pix coming forward? Why aren't they on some offshore website?

I'm tryin' real hard not to be tinfoil turbanned here, but I don't like this. I just don't like it.


A very paranoid

Tansy Gold

[daleo]

24. Maybe intelligence services are involved

CIA mad at Bush, or MI6 mad at Blair? Maybe the Russians or the French, who both have ample reason to be angry with Bush (think of what the U.S. did to the Russian army in Afghanistan). Maybe some of the 'friendly' Arab governments. Maybe Mossad, if they want to cause turmoil between the U.S. and friendly Arab governments. Maybe various groups in Iraq, using the photos against Bush, as they jockey for influence.

So many possibilities, in a digital world.

[Crachet2004]

31. I think you are right.

No way would the Pentagon let something like this out if they had any other choice at all.

Somebody who is very powerful and unafraid of DoD is on the move...maybe more than one somebody.

The Neocon house of cards is beginning to tumble, and I just wonder if these photos are the main course or merely an entree to the meal that is best served cold.

[diamond14]

12. POW's tortured with dogs is already out....(caution graphic)

bush*'s 'compassionate conservatism' using dogs...naked POW cowers to cover his private parts....

[saigon68]

17. YO GEN MYERS nice way to whip up on the RAG HEAD

It is interesting to note -----not one picture has been released by "THE" WAR CRIMINAL MYERS AND HIS GANG OF PENTAGON THUGS.

All photos to date have been leaked by ordinary soldiers..


PATHETIC.

[Entente]

13. I am so glad the soldiers had cameras

I bet next war, all cameras will be confiscated and not allowed.

[saigon68]

14. THEY ARE BEING CONFISCATED AS WE SPEAK

The corrupt NAZI PENTAGON Uuder NeoCon MEYERS will take no chances.

Their future places of SHAME to be tried as WAR CRIMINALS is at stake!!!!

[wabeewoman]

16. Now I understand why Tommy Franks

was in such a hurry to retire. He could probably see the writing on the wall....

[saigon68]

21. YA TOMMY " We don't Do Body Counts" FRANKS

Subduer of Baghdad Franks

[kentuck]

18. Oh, that's nice of them!

I'm sure the Congress appreciates them doing that...

[VolcanoJen]

22. The pics and video are OUT THERE. It's obvious, isn't it?

I agree with ColdWarZombie. Where, and how, did Sy Hersh and Sen. Lindsey Graham get their information? Graham even went to the lengths of "preparing the American people" during the Rumsfeld hearing. He was adamant on MTP this morning that the video and photos be made public immediately.

Have either seen the photos/video themselves? Or have they interviewed, or been briefed by, someone who has? If so, who?

There are whistleblowers everywhere now. Someone slipped Sy Hersh a completely new photo CD, and more pics from that are going to be released later this week.

I have a hunch the whole damn thing will blow wide-open by mid-week. There are more than a few hungry journalists sniffing around everywhere for that damned videotape. They will surface in a news-shattering world exclusive. Soon.

on edit: pretty extensive re-write. sorry.

[saigon68]

23. I hope so Jen --- those PENTAGON CRIMINALS are in DENIAL

The people are going to be very upset when the 16 year old boy is ANALLY raped by the "civilian contractor" while the "DEFENDERS OF DEMOCRACY" stand by and Film the action.

[Shadder]

25. By my count, at least 4 sets of photos are out now

1 - The images that CBS obtained
2 - A set of at least 5 images with timestamps from 17 - 25 October 2003
3 & 4 - The two sets mentioned in this article that were taken by two different cameras over a twelve-minute period on the evening of December 12, 2003

I've added this information and more to the timeline located at:

http://www.savinggraves.org/timeline/index.htm

[elizsan]

26. Nice work

That's an extensive and well-researched timeline. Thanks for your effort.

[Shadder]

27. Thanks

It was getting to the point where I could not keep things in the proper order in my mind so I just started playing around with it and it sort of took on a life of it's own. I'm sure that there is still a lot of things that I'm missing on it and I keep turning up more and more.

[newyawker99]

28. Hi elizsan!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

29. I Think Bushco Will Try To Politicize Release Of Materials

From what I've read, there are two videos that are so grotesque and disturbing that Rumsfeld himself, upon having seen them, said they were "hard to believe". I think one shows the rape of a woman by a soldier and the other shows the rape of little boys by guards, with a very disturbing soundtrack as well. From Rumsfeld's quote below, it appears that the administration will claim that a criminal prosecution is underway and that it would prejudice the rights of the accused to release the tapes. What amount do you want to bet that Limbaugh, Hannity, and the other Black Angels will try to stir up patriotic fervor for these 'wrongfully accused soldiers just doing their jobs' and try to convince the American sheep to support the blackout of the evidence.

Rumsfeld:

"I've said today that there are a lot more photographs and videos that exist. If these are released to the public, obviously it's going to make matters worse. That's just a fact," Rumsfeld said.

"I mean I looked at them last night and they're hard to believe," he said. "And if they're sent to some news organization and taken out of the criminal prosecution channels that they're in, that's where we'll be. And it's not a pretty picture."