[Polybius]

......the brass have spent months covering up obscene behavior while placing the sole blame on Joe and Jill Grunt. .............Retired Master Sgt. William Lawson, who brought the atrocity story to SFTT.org, says the 800th Military Police Brigade is a prime example....

Bravo Sierra.

Retired Master Sgt. William Lawson did nothing except try to blackmail the U.S. Army by threatening to release copies of the photos unless the U.S. Army dropped charges against his nephew. The U.S. Army, to it's credit, refused to subvert the rule of law in the face of blackmail.

The abuse was first reported on 13 January 2004 by Spc. Joseph Darby.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Press Release Number: 04-01-43 announced on January 16, 2004 that an investigation was going to be conducted in a case dealing with detainee abuse. This was the first time that the press had heard anything about this and it was 3 days after the abuse had been reported.

An Army Regulation Article 15-6 investigation was commenced on 19 January 2004 and was an extremely extensive investigation with interviews of over 50 witnesses both American and Iraqi.

The Army Regulation Article 15-6 investigation concluded:

CONCLUSION:1. (U) Several US Army Soldiers have committed egregious acts and grave breaches of international law at Abu Ghraib/BCCF and Camp Bucca, Iraq. Furthermore, key senior leaders in both the 800th MP Brigade and the 205th MI Brigade failed to comply with established regulations, policies, and command directives in preventing detainee abuses at Abu Ghraib (BCCF) and at Camp Bucca during the period August 2003 to February 2004.

Hackworth is not only an accomplice to blackmail but also a liar.

[cyncooper]

I want to see what the letter said.

I don't expect the letters to the Senators to be a big deal since they were sent in January right when Centcom announced the allegations and investigations.

Unless Uncle Lawson included some unique information in the letters I can't say I would expect such a missive to garner much attention. The fact that letters were sent means no more than the fact that newpapers and news channels reported same during the same time frame. It doesn't stop the dems from claiming this is all new and was hidden from the public.

[af_vet_1981]

Hackworth is not only an accomplice to blackmail but also a liar.

An accomplice to blackmail in this case is treason.

Give the perps a fair trial and a fast and public hanging.

[an amused spectator]

Hackworth is not only an accomplice to blackmail but also a liar.

We can quote some Shakespeare: "'Tis a pity he's a Demi whore..."