Iraq Prison Torture - "isolated incidents" or systemic

[radfringe]

does anyone believe that the Iraqi prisoner torture are just the acts of a few "bad-doers"?

This is the spin being spun to play down the seriousness of these abuses. The media seems content to go along with this, yet there are "hints" that the torture chamber actions are more wide-spread and it's appearing that it's systemic as opposed to being a couple of isolated incidents.

Iraqi human rights group, Red Cross say they complained repeatedly to U.S. about abuses
Friday, May 7, 2004 -- By LEE KEATH -- Associated Press Writer
http://www.napanews.com/templates/index.cfm?template=story_full&id=A63A8591-B104-4B1C-9918-0AB2E615277E

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's oldest human rights group and the international Red Cross said Thursday that they complained repeatedly last year about maltreatment of Iraqi prisoners, long before the U.S. Army began investigating abuse allegations.

The Human Rights Organization in Iraq said it got little response from American administrators, although the Red Cross said U.S. officials made some changes after it pointed to specific practices at the Abu Ghraib prison.

The U.S. military began an investigation at Abu Ghraib in January, after an American guard informed commanders of abuses inflicted by colleagues. The probe has since widened into a look at whether there was systematic abuse at detention facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Even teh Army knows better

they are trying hard to blame this on a few bad apples

but the taquba report is quite clear on this, it is systemic.

Oh and it comes from the top, that is why they are trying to make
some stripes pay, and not the stars... whch is SOP when the military
gets caught, the good ol' boy network... it cannot be done this way this time... and even some Senators said such,... was precious to see Flag officers sweat it out.

[radfringe]

2. GOP choir's new song

while not coming right out and accusing people who are appalled by the torture of being unpatriotic... the GOP choir is laying the groundwork to link those who are appalled with ..."making America's enemies' case for them..."

I've heard this several times in the past couple of weeks - almost verbatim, most recently on CNN's Capital Gang

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0405/08/cg.00.html

O'BEIRNE: There are an awful lot of people making America's enemies' case for them. For Nancy Pelosi to accuse the military of a cover-up, which is exactly what our enemies would like to think is the case, or that this is more widespread or it goes up the chain of command, is completely irresponsible. There is no evidence of that.

I for one, think that this is systemic, that the command pretty much looked the other way. Although there were reports filed, these were just shuffeled in with other reports and not "fast-tracked" in order to cover their butts should there be a news story.

I think it is happening in more than one prison in one country. I also think that the guards were under direction to do it and were given "suggestions" on how to "soften up" the prisoners.

bush* is pulling a Sgt. Shultz -- "I know nothing...."

If he didn't know why didn't he know it. Amazing what he doesn't know, isn't it?

** 9-11 --- I didn't know, and blames it on FBI
** WMDs don't exist --- I didn't know, and blames it on CIA
** Iraq Prison Torture --- I didn't know, and blames it on a few bad doers

one think is very clear -- bush doesn't know how to take responsibility