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I've read them.

" because none of the prisoners were covered by it. I have posted the definition of P.O.W. as have others."

I am well aware that Iraq is an occupied country and almost everyone of the detainees is either a criminal, or an ununiformed combatant. The Iraqi army has long ago ceased to exist, along with it's ruling regime. Only a coalition govm't exists there now and it has no forces, other than those of the US, a limited Iraqi police force under it's control and a limited number of allies in arms.

Unlike the detainees from Afghanistan, the Iraqi detainees are to be considered as POWs and entitled to the appropriate GCs, until otherwise determined by the appropriate authority. Obviously many can't possibly apply. The ones that do are those that refer to humane treatment. Specifically in this case sofar, prohibitions on humiliating and degrading treatment.

The reason the Administration insists on this for Iraq is, because of their own concern for human life and their goal of leaving an intact, functional govm't that is very unfriendly to terrorists and has peaceful intents for it's neighbors. Just to mention it, the same humanitarian treatment applies to the Guantanomo pen and every jail in the US.

Much better.
We agree that the detainees are not eligible for POW status. I still haven’t seen anything official that would back up this: “Unlike the detainees from Afghanistan, the Iraqi detainees are to be considered as POWs and entitled to the appropriate GCs, until otherwise determined by the appropriate authority.”

Just to mention it, the same humanitarian treatment applies to the Guantanomo pen and every jail in the US.

If it applies - legally - to every jail in the US it’s a law that is being violated on a regular basis.

I will ask you a question. What are the lower ranking soldiers - both officer, NCO and enlisted - supposed to do when ordered to make life miserable for the prisoners? One or two at a time can get away with refusing if they are close to rotation. If all were to refuse it would be mutiny, and the penalties for mutiny in a combat zone are severe.