Pentagon to Give Congress Abuse Photos

http://www.tallahassee.com/mld/tallahassee/news/world/8622702.htm ^ | Sun, May. 09, 2004 | JENNIFER C. KERR

[day]

Pentagon to Give Congress Abuse Photos

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Bracing for what the defense secretary has described as "sadistic" pictures, Congress will see the unreleased photos showing Iraqi prisoners being abused by U.S. soldiers, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said Sunday.

Another leading Republican, Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, suggested that Pentagon chief Donald H. Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers may not keep their jobs as the scandal unfolds.

"I think it's still in question whether Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and, quite frankly, General Myers can command the respect and the trust and the confidence of the military and the American people to lead this country," said Hagel, a decorated Vietnam veteran.

"Over the next couple of weeks, the president's going to have to make some hard choices," Hagel said.

"`This is deeper and wider than I think most in this administration understand. Aside from the fact we're losing the Iraqi people, we're losing the Muslim, Arab world, and we're losing the support of our allies," he told CBS' "Face the Nation."

President Bush has supported Rumsfeld, saying last week, "He'll stay in my Cabinet."

Sen. John Warner, whose committee heard from Rumsfeld on Friday, said Pentagon investigators will give lawmakers the photos to see in private.

"I was assured yesterday that all the new photos are being reviewed by the lawyers and so forth and will be forthcoming to the Congress," said Warner, R-Va.

Other members of Congress urged the Bush administration to make them public as quickly as possible.

"If there's more to come, let's get it out," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC's "Meet the Press."

"For God's sake, let's talk about it because (U.S. military) men and women's lives are at stake given how we handle this," he said.

Previously released photos, depicting the torture and sexual humiliation of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad, have led to worldwide condemnation and calls for Rumsfeld's resignation.

During his testimony before Congress last week, Rumsfeld warned that more cruel photos were to come, including video images.

Both Warner and Graham said they want Rumsfeld to stay on the job. Some leading Democrats, including Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, have said Rumsfeld should step down.

The Armed Services Committee's top Democrat, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin, said the abuse at the prison indicated the failure of the administration's Iraq policy.

"This is not just a few guards in some kind of an aberrant conduct. This is a much more systemic problem here," Levin said. "And the military intelligence, including I believe the CIA, ... have got to be held accountable, right up the chain."

The committee plans to hear from more Pentagon officials on Tuesday. Warner eventually wants to testimony from Army Major Gen. Antonio M. Taguba, whose report detailed abuse at Abu Ghraib.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., said the scandal has tainted America's reputation and set back efforts to safeguard the country.

"The tragedy of this is, it goes directly to the heart of how we hope to win the war against terror and what we're hoping to accomplish in Iraq," Bayh told "Fox News Sunday."

"And that is that we are morally superior to our adversaries. We don't kill women and children. We don't torture people. We stand for freedom," he said.

[day]

Sen. Chuck Hagel & Sen. John Warner they are want a United Nations lover, they want United Nations man

[oceanview]

It would be better if a Dem won Hagel's seat, it may be the only way to get rid of guys like that, since its almost impossible to defeat an incumbent senator in a primary.

[CasearianDaoist]

This is so disgusting. What is wrong with the GOP? This just me sick. What a silly people we have become.

[Azzurri]

The reaction to this prison abuse scandal is exactly how we got into trouble with 9/11 in the first place. The Congress was appalled at things the CIA and other intelligence agencies were prying information and then took away all their abilities to do so. We lost intelligence on the ground and then were blindsided by a host of terrorist attacks.

[cajungirl]

I am surprised they didn't go whole hog and ask all generals, Myers, Rummy, Cheney,,all of them to resign. In fact they could ask for all resignations for all officers above a Captain and let the whole damn war be over. These guys are so terrible.

[leprechaun9]

Keep in mind that the REPUBLICANS do NOT control the SENATE, the LIBERALS DO!

[Integrityrocks]

The GOP has lost some really impressive people in the past under pressure from the RATS and as we all know, even in the face of impeachment the Democrats hold on and NEVER step down. I just get sick thinking that we could possibly lose a brilliant man like Rumsfield and a Commander like Meyers. Don't pay any attention to the volumes of incredible work these men have done in their carreers for our country...

[T'wit]

>> Associated Press

Proof enough it's anti-American and toxic to read.

[monkeywrench]

They might as well just give the remaining photos to the press.

[EGPWS]

"Over the next couple of weeks, the president's going to have to make some hard choices," Hagel said.

Get your smelly shoes off of that desk you worthless POS and support your POTUS who HAS been making tough decisions since he took office!

These politicians are an amazement when they attach themselves to the coattails of the true workers for political gain, while at the same time, doing nothing in regards to their job, as described, which they were duly elected to perform.

[mrsmith]

"Bills of Attainder for everybody!"

So now the Dems will be locked in their offices drooling over pictures of naked men. The only one this will be a change for is Hillary!_{TM USMEDIA}.

[gaspar]

Hagel: The Republican Chuck Schumer. McCain: The Republican Teddy Kennedy. Snow: The Republican Barbara Boxer. Warner: The Republican Byrd. Collins: The Republican Mikulski.

[ImpBill]

Give the whole set of pictures and videos to Congress? Hmmmmm , let's see ... 20 minutes later they will be breaking news on all the major networks. Any bets?

[thoughtomator]

Now a gay porn magazine spread is inevitable.

[HAL9000]

They might as well just give the remaining photos to the press.

If the photos are going to be published, better now than drip-drip-drip until election day.

The first rule of damage control is to get the worst information out early.

[cajungirl]

Damn, when does the Michael Jackson trial start? How about Lacey? I am so sick of this story, I just want to never hear or read the news again. I cannot bear to read of these turncoats, these people who would wreck our war effort, tar and feather our public servants. It just makes me sick beyond all. I keep thinking I have seen the worse, and then they get worse.

[kabar]

Lindsay Graham wants them released to the public. I guess these people don't understand the damage they are doing to our efforts in Iraq. What possible purpose could be served except for a purient interest in the sexual nature of the photographs?

[BARLF]

Some one tell me again about the Boxes of info sitting in the Ford(?) building containing among other things, Clintons RAPE of Juanita Broadwick(sp.?) records.

Tell me again how many Senators viewed those records, and then voted for the conviction of Clinton.

These senators calling for Rumsfeld, Meyers and other decent men of this adm. to resign should be reminded daily about their refusal to convict a liar and a rapist. Where was their outrage then about the slime rolling from the office of our Whitehouse. Where was their outrage that our country was losing the respect of our allies and making the terrorest become bolder because of this slime that held the highest office in the land?

Dear Lord, there is so much more anger in my heart but I am unable to put it to words.

Eight years of the worst president and his mafia and few raised a voice against what they did to my country.

[goodnesswins]

Nope...you're right...they'll be on cnbc/nbc/cbs/abc/pbs/cbc/et al REPEATEDLY....just like today's NEW YORK SLIMES had a huge picture front, top of the fold and CENTER, again....of the naken pileups. I actually uttered a nasty word when I saw it in a Starbucks I was leaving.....scum may be taking this a little too far, however....time will tell.

[cajungirl]

Sickening. And to think we couldln't take seeing the ground at ground zero with the body parts and blood and the people jumping. To terrible for us to see. but hey, lets publicize rape and sodomy and anything that makes our good troops look like animals. Traitors, all of them.