Is this the smoking gun????? Wow!

[tedzbear]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0522-04.htm

This sure sounds like General Sanchez has lied under oath! Why isn't this bombshell on all of our front pages??? Or did I miss it?




Published on Saturday, May 22, 2004 by the Guardian/UK


US General Linked to Abu Ghraib Abuse
Leaked memo reveals control of prison passed to military intelligence to 'manipulate detainees'


by Julian Borger in Washington

Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, head of coalition forces in Iraq, issued an order last October giving military intelligence control over almost every aspect of prison conditions at Abu Ghraib with the explicit aim of manipulating the detainees' "emotions and weaknesses", it was reported yesterday.

The October 12 memorandum, reported in the Washington Post, is a potential "smoking gun" linking prisoner abuse to the US high command. It represents hard evidence that the maltreatment was not simply the fault of rogue military police guards.

(snip)

Sanchez specifically rejected the findings of the official report into the Abu Ghraib abuse by Major General Antonio Taguba, who concluded that military intelligence officers had told the guards "to set the conditions" for interrogations.

However, according to the leaked memorandum, General Sanchez had explicitly given military intelligence interrogators control over the "lighting, heating ... food, clothing and shelter" of the detainees being questioned.

It also called for military intelligence officials to work more closely with the military police guards at the prison to "manipulate an internee's emotions and weaknesses".

[goclark]

1. Just saw this liar on CSPAN

I am so sick of seeing them say " No Me, I didn't see that memo,make that call, write that letter bla bla bla." The big time generals were just covers for Bush. They are all guilty as hell.

[Miss Authoritiva]

2. Well, if these guys put anything in writing, they choose their words

very, very carefully. Note the use of "manipulate an internee's emotions and weaknesses." Very vague. It does not specifically recommend or ban the physical and sexual abuse we've been hearing about, giving the General wriggle room.

On the other hand, it is specific in the following way: "General Sanchez had explicitly given military intelligence interrogators control over the 'lighting, heating ... food, clothing and shelter' of the detainees being questioned" -- as opposed to those detainees not being questioned at that time.