Excerpts From the Schlesinger Report

The Washington Post ^ | August 25, 2004 | James R. Schlesinger, Harold Brown, Tillie K. Fowler, and Charles A. Horner

[neverdem]

Excerpts of the report of the Independent Panel to Review DoD Detention Operations:

The events of October through December 2003 on the night shift of Tier 1 at Abu Ghraib prison were acts of brutality and purposeless sadism. We now know these abuses occurred at the hands of both military police and military intelligence personnel. The pictured abuses, unacceptable even in wartime, were not part of authorized interrogations nor were they even directed at intelligence targets. They represent deviant behavior and a failure of military leadership and discipline. However, we do know that some of the egregious abuses at Abu Ghraib which were not photographed did occur during interrogation sessions and that abuses during interrogation sessions occurred elsewhere.

In light of what happened at Abu Ghraib, a series of comprehensive investigations has been conducted by various components of the Department of Defense. Since the beginning of hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq, U.S. military and security operations have apprehended about 50,000 individuals. From this number, about 300 allegations of abuse in Afghanistan, Iraq or Guantanamo have arisen. As of mid-August 2004, 155 investigations into the allegations have been completed, resulting in 66 substantiated cases. Approximately one-third of these cases occurred at the point of capture or tactical collection point, frequently under uncertain, dangerous and violent circumstances.

Abuses of varying severity occurred at differing locations under differing circumstances and context. They were widespread and, though inflicted on only a small percentage of those detained, they were serious both in number and in effect. No approved procedures called for or allowed the kinds of abuse that in fact occurred. There is no evidence of a policy of abuse promulgated by senior officials or military authorities. Still, the abuses were not just the failure of some individuals to follow known standards...

[neverdem]

Link to the PDF report: here.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/d20040824finalreport.pdf

[swilhelm73]

The pictured abuses, unacceptable even in wartime, were not part of authorized interrogations nor were they even directed at intelligence targets.

Another Dem talking point bites the dust.

[neverdem]

I always liked Schlesinger.

[Jeff Chandler]

NPR was in full Abu Grabe mode today.