Senator: 'Many, Many' Iraq Abuse Probes Under Way

Reuters ^ | May 9, 2004

[yonif]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There are "many, many" criminal investigations going on of deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq, well beyond Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday "This is deeper and wider than I think most in this administration understand," U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska told CBS's "Face the Nation."

U.S. officials have insisted the abuses at Abu Ghraib were carried out by a handful of soldiers and not part of a systematic program of brutality.

Hagel said he could not discuss matters presented to him as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee but they extended beyond the ongoing controversy over Iraqi prisoners of war at the prison. The panel was briefed on Friday by top intelligence and Army officials.

"There are many, many investigations ongoing now as a result of deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq, deaths that came at the hands of United States officials," Hagel said.

He said some of the probes have been referred to the U.S. Justice Department. "It's probably in the range of 30, maybe more than that, of investigations, not all are homicide," he said.

The scandal exploded last week with the release of photographs showing grinning uniformed personnel posing in front of naked detainees.

So far, seven military police have been charged with abusing prisoners in the prison where Saddam Hussein tormented thousands of Iraqis, and a court martial was set for one in Baghdad next week. The Army said on Friday it was investigating possible abuse by U.S. soldiers of 42 Iraqi civilians in addition to 35 investigations of abuse of prisoners.

The Army said previously it was looking into the deaths of 25 prisoners held in Iraq or Afghanistan, determining there were two homicides by Americans against Iraqi prisoners, one case of justifiable homicide and 12 cases in which the cause of death was natural or undetermined.

Ten other deaths and 10 cases of nonlethal assault remain under investigation, the Army has said.

[CasearianDaoist]

Ok then, don't require an apology, just an acknowledgment. I can't stand it either. Let us see what happens next week. I hope that they are taking the GOP leadership to the woodshed this weekend.

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

Reporting ALLEGED abuse up the chain of command is one thing but i would like to see the name of the basta*d who passed these photos DIRECTLY TO THE MEDIA!?That person violated the chain of command and should be given a court martial.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

I wrote Hagel off months ago... The GOP sometimes is its own worst enemy. They try to be so fair when the demoncraps are NEVER fair. The sheeple don't even care if the GOP is fair; the media knows this and uses it to the dems advantage. The sheeple just hear that there was abuse under the GOP administration; they don't see that the GOP is trying to be fair. But still, Hagel and others join the dems in prancing about in front of the media anyway. Damn fools. Lindsey Graham should watch out also; saying that Rummy may or may not resign is not good enough; he should be saying that Rummy need not resign at all.

[Stentor]

don't require an apology

You have one. It seems to be going around lately at the highest levels.

[mabelkitty]

Who are the 17 Congresscritters who were alerted about this back in January?

[mabelkitty]

Start referring to them as the Karpinski Six.
Has a nice Chicago Seven sounds to it.

[CasearianDaoist]

It seems to be going around lately at the highest levels.

Too funny.

I wish Bush would have waited on that one. Notice you don't hear Cheney "apologizing." That would make me weep. We will see. Perhaps their is only a news cycle worth of legs to this after all. If that is the case then it will have been worth it.

It is so pathetic. What do we need, another 911 before we grow a spine?

[mabelkitty]

Since you signed up yesterday, I'll take your accusations of Vietnam atrocities with a grain of Kerry salt.

[varon]

There are "many, many" criminal investigations going on of deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq, well beyond Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison, a leading Republican senator said on Sunday .............

Great, that's all we need now to force every military person on active duty to have an attorney on retainer.

[what's up]

Hagel is a McCain-ite.

[CasearianDaoist]

I like it.

[TexasTransplant]

"Somebody sure has a directive to make this undertaking another Vietnam".

 

Crackly speaker ----  Paging Mr. McNamara... Please pick up the White phone a Mr. Kerry wishes to speak to you.

 

(my spelling of mcnamara may be wrong, but... I am right)

[Recovering_Democrat]

Was Hagel supportive of the POTUS and SecDef today, or was his usual smarmy self?

[HurricaneD]

Hagel isn't even good enough to be a RINO. He's really just another Bob Kerrey. All mouth and all about himself. I'm surprised he didn't bring up his Viet Nam veteran status.

[solo gringo]

IMHO after watching the last couple of years Hagel is just another parasite that scurry away when you turn on the lite,unless it is the light of a camera.

[highlandbreeze]

Backlash?

[highlandbreeze]

Sensitivity training?

[Constitutional Patriot]

"They are going to overplay their hand here."

I beleive that they already have. No true American condones abuse of POW's. The circus being provided by the vast left wing conspiracy to politicize everything every day (to harm W) has been perceived for what it is...a series of political attacks against our preident in an election year.

They are pulling out all the stops this time around. This could be the last time they have a shot at the oval office for a very long time.

[buffyt]

The Iraqi prisoners sure look plump and well fed compared to the man on the street Iraqi.....

[buffyt]

The feminization of the US military marches forward! sheesh! What do we want, soldiers or wimps? Maybe we should just play DEGUELLO and take no prisoners as we go into battle - that will cure the problem.