US: More Than 600 Implicated in Detainee Abuse

[struggle4progress]

Investigations Lag Two Years After Abu Ghraib Photos



(Washington, D.C., April 26, 2006) – Two years after the Abu Ghraib scandal, new research shows that abuse of detainees in U.S. custody in Iraq, Afghanistan, and at Guantánamo Bay has been widespread, and that the United States has taken only limited steps to investigate and punish implicated personnel.

A briefing paper issued today, “By the Numbers,” presents findings of the Detainee Abuse and Accountability Project, a joint project of New York University’s Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First. The project is the first comprehensive accounting of credible allegations of torture and abuse in U.S. custody in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo.

“Two years ago, U.S. officials said the abuses at Abu Ghraib were aberrations and that people who abused detainees would be brought to justice,” said Professor Meg Satterthwaite, faculty director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at NYU Law School. “Yet our research shows that detainee abuses were widespread, and few people have truly been brought to justice.”

The project has collected hundreds of allegations of detainee abuse and torture occurring since late 2001 – allegations implicating more than 600 U.S. military and civilian personnel and involving more than 460 detainees. <snip>

http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=8647

[TomInTib]

1. That's a lot of "bad apples on the night shift"

sounds like some senior officers are covering their collective asses.

[AlCzervik]

2. lets hear this spun by the rw.

[IndianaGreen]

3. The blame starts with the Komandant in Chief

Bush approved torture. Cheney pushed for it. Gonzales said torture wasn't torture. Rumsfeld implemented and watched prisoners being tortured. The generals ordered their subordinates to torture. Honorable military men and women were reassigned or relieved when they failed to follow torture orders

Remember the Navy commander at Guantanamo that was relieved from command in 2002 for posting the Geneva Convention rules on POWs for the detainees to see? Remember the Muslim chaplain that was railroaded by a terrorism investigation, only to have all charges dropped? Those are the real patriots and the true heroes!

[uppityperson]

4. a few soldiers having fun, eh? Good that this news is coming out.

[DearAbby]

5. Aw come on guys...

"Just some panties on the head...pranks" I wish I had a dime for every time I heard that bullshit line from a GOPer. I guess the Greasebaugh had said that once, and once is all it took, they repeat constantly when the subject is brought up.

This is a lot larger, these pukes make me so ashamed to be an American. It has to come back to them. When will Justice be served? I am getting so impatient these days. Impatience and Scandal Fatigue. Just so much to take in.

A person has to be a multi-tasking fool, to keep up with the *crime family's list of criminal activities. Thank the gods for DU.

[rodeodance]

6. NOMinate

[rodeodance]

7. “There’s been a failure of accountability"

“We’ve seen a series of half-hearted investigations and slaps on the wrist,” said Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. “The government seems more interested in managing the detainee abuse scandal than in addressing the underlying problems that caused it.”



The project found that the vast majority of those who were investigated for abuse were enlisted military personnel, not officers. Under military law, officers can be held accountable for the abuses of their subordinates under the doctrine of command responsibility. The project did not find a single case in which an officer was held accountable under that doctrine.



“There’s been a failure of accountability for detainee abuse at the command level,” said Elisa Massimino, Washington director for Human Rights First. “Without accountability up the chain of command, there won’t be deterrence, and the torture and abuses we’ve documented likely will continue.”



The Detainee Abuse and Accountability Project (DAA) was initiated in March 2005 as a joint research effort to collect and analyze credible allegations of abuse of detainees in U.S. custody in Afghanistan, Iraq, and at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility, and to assess what actions, if any, the U.S. government has taken in response to these allegations. The project has also recorded investigations, disciplinary measures, or criminal prosecutions that are linked to abuse allegations.

[rodeodance]

8. saying gov. more interested in 'managing' the scandal than fixing it.

“We’ve seen a series of half-hearted investigations and slaps on the wrist,” said Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch. “The government seems more interested in managing the detainee abuse scandal than in addressing the underlying problems that caused it.”

[EFerrari]

11. Right -- remember they fixed it by putting up a "no photography"

sign up?

I'm very glad to see this report.

:kick:

[rodeodance]

9. they are recommending an independent commission. HEAR that congress?

Congress should appoint an independent commission to review U.S. detention and interrogation policy and operations worldwide.

[lovuian]

10. Torture is forbidden in the Geneva Convention

these are unfortunately war crimes...

It must be terrible...