Reply #6: UL: Here's some hard evidence. Powell's Military Assistant

[autorank]

Cheney accused on prisoner abuse
Col Lawrence Wilkerson
Col Wilkerson has been critical of Mr Cheney in the past

A top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell has launched a
stinging attack on US Vice-President Dick Cheney over abuse of
prisoners by US troops.

Col Lawrence Wilkerson accused Mr Cheney of ignoring a decision by
President Bush on the treatment of prisoners in the war on terror.

Asked by the BBC's Today if Mr Cheney could be accused of war
crimes, he said: "It's an interesting question."

"Certainly it is a domestic crime to advocate terror," he added.

"And I would suspect, for whatever it's worth, it's an international crime as well."

From original post: " the planning, preparation, initiation or
waging of a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international
treaties, agreements or assurances, or participation in a common plan"
Article 6, Neremberg Tribunal


"I look at the relationship between Mr Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld
as being one that produced these two failures in particular, and I see
that the president is not holding either of them accountable...
so I have to lay some blame at his feet too."
Col Wilkerson

Wilkerson interview text

This is an extraordinary attack by a man who until earlier in the year
was Mr Cheney's colleague in the senior reaches of the Bush team, the
BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says.

Col Wilkerson has in the past accused the vice-president of
responsibility for the conditions which led to the abuse of
prisoners.

But this time he has gone much further, appearing to suggest Mr Cheney
should face war crimes charges, our correspondent adds.

<snip>

(and now for the home run, check it out)

In the BBC interview, Col Wilkerson also developed his views on
whether or not pre-war intelligence was deliberately misused by the
White House.

He said that he had previously thought only honest mistakes were made.


But recent revelations about doubts in the intelligence community
that appear to have been suppressed in the run-up to the war have
made him question this view.

---------------------------

This makes the case. I was stunned when I heard it on the radio and
then read it. Wilkerson is more than they bargained for, a military
man who sees being a good soldier as serving one's country not one's leader.

Thanks UL and Thanks so much Col. Wilkerson.