Posted on 05/16/2004 9:32:23 AM PDT by jmstein7
The female GI who is at the center of the storm over allegations of mistreatment at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison has told military investigators that she received no specific orders to abuse detainees.
A transcript of her May 5 military interview obtained by the New York Times shows England was asked, "Did anyone ever give specific orders of how to 'break' detainees?"
"No," England answered point blank. Instead she told probers that military intelligence merely encouraged them to keep doing whatever they were doing to soften prisoners up - "that we were doing a good job."
If true, England's admission suggests that the idea to use sexual humiliation to break Iraqi prisoners originated with the accused MPs - and not with higher-ups on site or at the Pentagon.
A lawyer for Specialist Charles Graner seemed to echo England's comments, telling the Times that the orders his client was following were usually general in nature.
"Most are not specific. Some are pretty clear. The exact wording, it's hard to say," attorney Gary Womack told the paper.
Neal Puckett, the lawyer for Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski who oversaw Abu Ghraib, said the testimony by England and others would complicate any legal defense attempting to pin blame on higher-ups.
"I think they are going to have a hard time demonstrating that they were instructed, that they were to specifically to strip these guys naked and pile them up on the floor," Puckett told the Times.
Court records of interviews with other suspects in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal show that military intelligence officers might have authorized interrogation tactics that included sleep and food deprivation and intimidation with muzzled dogs.
But the same witnesses said none of the orders sanctioned hitting Iraqi detainees, building naked pyramids or having them photographed while simulating sex acts.
The idiotic media cannot follow from point to point, or they don't wish to, so they took the Graner's defense attorney's spin and ignored the facts assembled to date for context.
"I'm starting to get angry with the President. Not for the alleged abuse, but for not vigorously pointing out what is obvious to us--that a little humiliation is not torture, and that a wearing women's panties on one's head would be far preferable than losing that same head by some clumsy and inept beheader. If the President doesn't start fighting back (and not with these mild denials), much more is lost than just the next election. If Kerry is elected, I have no doubt whatever that it will mean the end of our free country."
FWIW, Secty of State Powell has made comments and demands of Arab leaders to show balance and condemn the killing of Nick Berg...
The fact is, the media would have a field day if Bush or Rummy tried to downplay it. They would (falsely) talk of a coverup. In these matters IT IS UP TO WE THE PEOPLE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE BIASED MEDIA!
It is time, past time, to send sharply worded letters to editors on this matter, accusing them of abject bias,
telling them that the oil-for-food corruption and billion dollar bribes is a real scandal, media fake photo reporting is the real scandal, etc.
From what they've said about some of the video portions that weren't released, she already has.
ping
Lynndie England is not "now" speaking through an attorney. There were no less than five attorneys purporting to be representing her last week. Four appeared on the tube Monday night, though they all noted they had not met or spoken to her yet, they had talking points assembled. The fifth man I saw on LKL two nights later.
Bizarre (yet obvious).
When all is said and done with this story, I belive the root of this evil will fall at the feet of one pathological, redneck prison guard.
They weren't ordered, but who told them they were "doing a good job"? Do you suppose it was BG Karpinski?
Who said that anything in this article absolved military authorities? The chain of command that allowed this to happen are still responsible.
The point of this article is contradicting the exploiters, like Sen. Levin, Sen. Kennedy, etc. that this was 'systematically directed'.
I am not sure why you think these are staged photos.
A new political TV ad:
A shot of Ted Kennedy uttering these words followed by a shot of England doing her thing. Next, horribly graphic shots of Saddam's torture sessions, followed by Nick Berg's and Daniel Perl's executions with a vice over identifying them a such. No other politicians mentioned in the ad. Paid for by (Add name of independent grassroots organization here).
That should take care of the issue for a while. (Mileage may vary)
that *low-level* intelligence types were involved
They were "low" alright.
A new political TV ad:
A shot of Ted Kennedy uttering these words followed by a shot of England doing her thing. Next, horribly graphic shots of Saddam's torture sessions, followed by Nick Berg's and Daniel Perl's executions with a vice over identifying them a such. No other politicians mentioned in the ad. Paid for by (Add name of independent grassroots organization here).
That should take care of the issue for a while. (Mileage may vary)
Sorry 'bout the double post. I hate when that happens....
"There will always be an England..."
Because there's a photo showing them being staged-- with 8 people around them.
Interesting take in The Village Voice:
http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0419/goldstein2.php
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