NEWSWEEK: Documents Suggest Pentagon Trying to Contain Prison Abuse Scandal

Prnewswire ^ | 5/30/04

[Brian Mosely]

# NEW YORK, May 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Documents obtained by Newsweek suggest that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's aides are trying hard to contain the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, even within the Pentagon. Defense Under Secretary Douglas Feith, who is in charge of setting policy on prisoners and detainees in occupied Iraq, has banned any discussion of the still-classified report on Abu Ghraib, written by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, which has circulated around the world, Newsweek reports in the current issue.(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040530/NYSU003 )

Shortly after the Taguba report leaked in early May, Feith subordinates sent an "urgent" e-mail around the Pentagon warning officials not to read the report, even though it was on Fox News. In the e-mail, a copy of which was obtained by Newsweek, officials in Feith's office warn that the leak is being investigated for "criminal prosecution" and that no one should mention the Taguba report to anybody, even to family members, report Senior Editor Michael Hirsh and National Security Correspondent John Barry in the June 7 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands Monday, May 31). Feith has turned his office into a "ministry of fear," according to one military lawyer. A spokesman for Feith, Maj. Paul Swiergosz, says the e-mail warning was intended to prevent employees from downloading a classified report onto unclassified computers.

[nwrep]

So?

[isthisnickcool]

So?

[EEDUDE]

Well, they ought to. Punish those responsible and drop it.

Last thing we need is more anti-American propaganda out of the mouths of the mainstream media.

It happened. Punish the guilty, and get over it.

[cardinal4]

I have been on vacation and have been avoiding the news. Im discouraged to get home and find that this story still has legs..thanks to the media who are determined to keep it on the front page..

[Piquaboy]

Snoozeweek is a left wing rag magazine.

[tirednvirginia]

Please try and keep this old and unpopular scandal on page 1, Newsweek. People are sick of it and aren't so shocked as you guys so please keep rammming it down our throats and imply that the good guys are really the bad guys in this war. Don't know what we would do without you shedding light on how bad we are.

[babaloo]

You'd think Newsweek would be interested in increasing its circulation not hacking off potential readers. I do not understand what economic model they are using here.

[RobbyS]

Considering that so many are up for charges under the UCMJ, it seem prudential not to let the report prejudice potential jurors. But Newspeak is trying to fun up dissent in DoD as wel as in the public at large and they are noting that public interest in the scandal is waning.

[chase19]

There's been a young Christian Pakastani murdered brutally with a "sword" for being a litterbug. A Buddhist priest beheaded for God only knows what. 16 Christians murdered in Saudi and let's not talk about the Sudan. We have OUR own jails with Islamic inmates recruiting others into Islam for the sole purpose of using them for even more murders. And the media is only interested in our prison abuses??

[JasonC]

You know that, I know that, and the American people know that. But the media thinks this is watergate, that they just have to keep screaming about it for a year if necessary, and when the actual stuff fizzles go after the (in this case imaginary) cover up, etc. News judgment has nothing to do with it. Nor logic. Nor even rhetoric and what will play in Peoria. It is pure ideological crusade to destroy the president and defeat the US in this fascist imperialist war. That is how they think.

[JasonC]

I can explain their economic model to you. Elect Kerry. Establish socialism. Join the Ministry of Truth. Order everyone around.

[chase19]

The media were successful in the Vietnam War - remember Walter Cronkite. We actually won the war but were defeated by the media. They're trying it again even if they have to deceive to do it.

[beethoven]

They should try to contain it. What's the big deal?

[Condor51]

What part of "classified report" don't these dolts at Newsleak understand?

[SkyPilot]

Newsweek is a joke. I can't believe I used to subscribe to it.

Brent Bozell wrote several years ago that Newsweek set up recruiting booths at "Gay Pride" days on college campuses. They would only interview homosexuals.

Incredible.

[Consort]

...and?

[Pompah]

There's no economic model driving Newsweek,Time, Etal on this juicy "Republican Scandal" that must be kept alive.

It's the PARTY. The Democrat Party must regain political power in this Country at all costs.

Before God,Country,or Family the PARTY must come first.
A Pox Upon All of Them.

[prophetic]

well once upon a time (I cant remember when) Newsweek was kinda balanced; must've been in the '70's

Nowadays I consider it the print version of DU.COM but since its a complimentery subscription I let it come..

[alnick]

I was talking to a democrat today and she is livid that the press is making such a big deal out of aub ghraib. She says she's sick and tired of America always being labled as the bad guy. This lady gets her news solely from the mainstream media, she's a democrat, and she gets it.

She said she's also sick of certain senators undermining the war effort. I mentioned what Ted Kennedy said, equating the US with Saddam's regime, and she made a face and said, "That old scoundrel? I don't believe a word he says."

I don't know who she voted for in '04, though I suspect she voted democrat, but she has told me that she will be voting for Bush in '04.