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'Rules of engagement'

"..On Wednesday, Pentagon officials testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee that a female Army officer identified only as "Captain Woods" drafted a set of interrogation "rules of engagement" used in Iraq. Those rules had been posted at Abu Ghraib by October, and became public during hearings into the abuses at the prison.

The list shows two sets of procedures -- those approved for all detainees and those requiring special authorization by Sanchez. Among the items requiring approval from Sanchez were techniques such as "sensory deprivation," "stress positions," "dietary manipulation," forced changes in sleep patterns, isolated confinement and the use of dogs.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said at a May 12 hearing that some of those techniques went "far beyond the Geneva Conventions." Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld countered that they all had been approved by Pentagon lawyers.

Wood was the head of the military intelligence unit that controlled the interrogation center at Abu Ghraib. On Friday, the New York Times reported that Wood's unit developed aggressive rules and procedures while it was stationed in Afghanistan and imported them to Iraq..."

None of the purported "Rules of engagement" involve the worst of the abuses.

Thanks. It's very interesting. I plucked the quote below from the link you provided. So it's possible that unless Gen. Sanchez, although responsible for what occured under his command, was not criminally involved.

"Shuck also said a sergeant at the prison, First Sgt. Brian G. Lipinski, was prepared to testify that intelligence officers told him the abuse of detainees on the cellblock was "the right thing to do." Earlier this month, Lipinski declined to comment on the case."

For any who read this and don't know, the First Sergeant is often the highest ranking NCO (enlisted soldier) in an Army company. ...always so in a combat company, to my knowledge. First sergeants often answer directly to their captains (company commanders). Above captains are battalion-level officers who are often some distance away from company elements.

It's starting to get a little more clear. I'm also a little suspicious that Brig. Gen. Karpinski pointed the finger at the regular Army during her online interview with the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24845-2004May13.html
"The active component involvement will become more apparent as the result of ongoing investigations" (Gen. Karpinsky)

None of the purported "Rules of engagement" involve the worst of the abuses.

Yeah, but yesterday, the History Channel ran a two hour History of Interrogation: "We Can Make You Talk".

Despite disclaimers that the filming, etc was completed before the Iraqi Prison Allegations surfaced, they admitted [10 minutes before the end of the program] that "Culture Shock" involving humiliation of Muslim Males by Females brought in specifically "to demean their Manhood" at Gitmo.

Yeah, Sanchez isn't as innocent as he claims.