Abuser jailed for a year as US sticks to 'bad apple' script

[UpInArms]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=522969

In a makeshift courtroom in Baghdad, the United States attempted to answer yesterday the scandal over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners.

The accused was Specialist Jeremy Sivits, the man who took the now infamous photographs of naked Iraqi prisoners piled in a pyramid with American soldiers grinning behind, and of Private Lynndie England pointing at a naked Iraqi man's genitals.

<snip>

The US military says it is holding courts martial for Specialist Sivits and three of the other accused in Iraq in an effort to defuse anger here and prove to Iraqis, and Arabs, that the US is tracking down and punishing those responsible for the abuses. It was supposed to be, in the words of General Mark Kimmitt, the US military spokesman, an opportunity for Iraqis to see "American democracy in action". The entire process is sticking to the official script: the mistreatment was the work of the seven accused alone - a few "bad apples".

<snip>

It was held in the Saddam-era convention centre, behind high concrete blast walls and three American checkpoints, one them guarded by a tank. That meant that to the average Iraqi, the proceedings seemed as remote as the rest of the occupation authority's dealings, which take place behind similar walls.

...more...

I don't the Iraqis are buying the shit that is being offered. It appears that we have merely convinced them that the US is as big a monster as SH was.

[htuttle]

1. Bush is further sacrificing the reputation and standing of the US,

the lives of both Iraqis and US soldiers, and our economy in a vain attempt to prevent his approval ratings from going lower.

Pathetic.

on edit:

...And it won't work, anyway.

[Alerter_]

2. the longer he covers it up, the worse for the troops - and us

That's what they want, you can only assume.

[patrick g]

3. here's my .02

"in an effort to defuse anger here and prove to Iraqis, and Arabs, that the US is tracking down and punishing those responsible for the abuses."

yeah...don't punish them because they committed a terrible act . . .. :rolleyes:

[saigon68]

4. SIVITS IS A JAIL HOUSE SNITCH

Did you see the Scum Bag Sanchez on TV today. He left his BIG PISTOL and shoulder holster in IRAQ and Lied to Congress.

[TahitiNut]

7. Sanchez lied like a fake Persian carpet today.

That sucker danced like the macarena during the whole fiasco. Disgusting!

[Webster Green]

5. The "bad apple" is sitting in the oval office....

The lies and the hatred trickle down from there. Smirky is the one who continues to make the Iraq/911 connection. The soldiers think they are getting revenge and stopping terrorism.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. One more failed illegal or proven wrong policy to "stick to"

[TryingToWarnYou]

8. Wow, a whole year?...you can get more with DWI

NT

[Disturbed]

9. Plea bargain.

Real simple. He was offered this to stick to the lies about no further up systematic torture policy. The Cover Up continues.

[DBoon]

10. Corrupt organizations always blame the least powerful

for their systematic failures.

Scott Adams ("Dilbert") even did a cartoon about this, "Bring me the head of Willie the mail-boy"

[ngGale]

11. Sivits "pre-trial agreement," plea bargain...

seems to have been a bad idea on his part. He covered the butts of the big brass and is going to testify against the rest. Notice in the bottom paragraph, the other three deferred their pleas. Guess they saw the wolves were circling the camp. "A few bad apples." LOL


He pleaded guilty, and broke down in tears before the court. He was handed down the maximum penalty available to the court: one year in prison, demoted to private, and discharged for bad conduct.

The hearing took less than four hours, after Specialist Sivits's guilty plea. His lawyer said he had made a "pre-trial agreement" with the prosecution, which is believed to be a plea bargain under which he will give evidence against the other accused at future courts martial. Although the sentence was the maximum that could be handed down, that was because Specialist Sivits was allowed to be tried by a special court martial instead of a general court martial, which can hand down custodial sentences up to 15 years.

Cpl Graner, Staff Sgt Frederick and Sgt Davis were arraigned in a separate hearing yesterday. All three deferred their pleas for legal reasons, saying they had not been given access to prosecution witnesses.