Special Ops Members Punished in Abuse Case

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - At least four members of a special operations task force in Iraq (news - web sites) have been disciplined in connection with an investigation of the abuse of prisoners, a Pentagon (news - web sites) spokesman said Wednesday. In at least one case the violation involved a Taser stun gun.




The four received administrative punishments, spokesman Larry Di Rita said during a news conference. All were reassigned to different jobs, and two were transferred out of the unit, he said. He did not identify them or provide any more specifics.


The investigation began after the chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency complained to a senior adviser of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld about the treatment of DIA personnel working with the task force.


The investigation was rolled into an existing inquiry by the task force's commander of other charges of detainee abuse, Di Rita said. He had no information on the existing inquiry.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=693&e=10&u=/ap/20041209/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/prisoner_abuse

[gratuitous]

1. Wow, "administrative" punishments!

That'll learn these nameless, faceless torturers that the U.S. means b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s when it comes to cracking down on war crimes and crimes against humanity.

We're proposing that Saddam be tried by the Iraqi people; why can't these special ops guys get the same treatment? Open court, public testimony, and let the society that they violated decide the appropriate punishment? Or does PATRIOT ACT II ("This time it's personal") repeal the longstanding Goose and Gander Principle?

[asjr]

2. Rummy will probably, in a secret ceremony, award them medals.

[TahitiNut]

5. That usually means Article 15 actions.

If I recall correctly, that's limited to 6 months of 1/2 pay forfeiture and extra duty.

[DulceDecorum]

3. How to Avoid Detection 101

or
Cover up for Special Ops
or some other remedial class offered by the
School of the Americas.
http://www.soaw.org/new/type.php?type=8

[Supersedeas]

4. winning the hearts and minds with 'unspecified' administrative punishments

somewhere Vicky Clark must be smiling at this one.