Soldier's Family Set in Motion Chain of Events on Disclosure [Hackworth involved in CBS photos]

NY Times ^ | 5/8/04 | James Dao and Eric Lichtblau

[saquin]

CUMBERLAND, Md., May 7 — Ivan Frederick was distraught. His son, an Army reservist turned prison guard in Iraq, was under investigation earlier this year for mistreating prisoners, and photographs of the abuse were beginning to circulate among soldiers and military investigators.

So the father went to his brother-in-law, William Lawson, who was afraid that reservists like his nephew would end up taking the fall for what he considered command lapses, Mr. Lawson recounted in an interview on Friday. He knew whom to turn to: David Hackworth, a retired colonel and a muckraker who was always willing to take on the military establishment. Mr. Lawson sent an e-mail message in March to Mr. Hackworth's Web site and got a call back from an associate there in minutes, he said.

That e-mail message would put Mr. Lawson in touch with the CBS News program "60 Minutes II" and help set in motion events that led to the public disclosure of the graphic photographs and an international crisis for the Bush administration.

It is still not entirely clear who leaked the photos and how they got into the hands of a "60 Minutes II" producer. What is clear, however, is that the furor over the photos is unlikely to dissipate any time soon.

And it may only get worse.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld disclosed Friday that there were "many more photos" and videos of abuse that have not yet become public. And he acknowledged in Senate testimony that the military might have mishandled the affair by not alerting members of Congress and the public to the growing seriousness of the military's investigation into the abuses before the images became public on "60 Minutes II."

"I wish I had been able to convey to them the gravity of this before we saw it in the media," Mr. Rumsfeld said.

The irony, Mr. Lawson said, is that the public spectacle might have been avoided if the military and the federal government had been responsive to his claims that his nephew was simply following orders. Mr. Lawson said he sent letters to 17 members of Congress about the case earlier this year, with virtually no response, and that he ultimately contacted Mr. Hackworth's Web site out of frustration, leading him to cooperate with a consultant for "60 Minutes II."

"The Army had the opportunity for this not to come out, not to be on 60 Minutes," he said. "But the Army decided to prosecute those six G.I.'s because they thought me and my family were a bunch of poor, dirt people who could not do anything about it. But unfortunately, that was not the case."

Many of the incriminating photographs appear to have been taken on a digital camera by a soldier in the 372nd Military Police Company who is now facing a court-martial. From there, they appear to have circulated among military personnel in Iraq via e-mail and computer disks, and some may have found their way to family members in the United States.

But there are still numerous unresolved questions about the photographs. One is why they were taken. Some officials suggest that soldiers wanted the photographs as souvenirs, but some relatives said they believed that the photographs were going to be shown to other prisoners to pressure their cooperation.

Then there is the question of how the photographs became public.

Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of forces in the region, testifying Friday before Congress, said he was still unclear how that happened. "It was a surprise that it got out," General Smith said.

Military officials were aware of two disks with photographs on them that were part of continuing investigations, one in Iraq and another in Washington, he said.

"That was the limit of the pictures, and we thought we had them all," General Smith said.

Producers at "60 Minutes II" are not saying exactly how they got the photographs. But Jeff Fager, the executive producer, said, "We heard about someone who was outraged about it and thought that the public should know about it."

Digital cameras have become so ubiquitous in the military that many relatives of personnel in the 372nd and other units in Iraq said they routinely received photographs by e-mail. But the photographs were usually tourist-type photographs of smiling sons and daughters, relatives said.

Officials said that the photographs showing psychological or physical abuse numbered in the hundreds, perhaps more than 1,000, with Mr. Rumsfeld hinting Friday that more may come out.

Among some prison personnel in Iraq, the photographs were apparently an open secret. "Some soldiers in Iraq had them — I'm hearing that soldiers were showing them to everybody," Mr. Lawson said. He said he did not have the original photos and did not turn them over to anyone.

The photographs have now turned soldiers like Mr. Lawson's nephew, Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick, and Pfc. Lynndie R. England into graphic symbols of military abuse. But for Mr. Lawson, they are evidence of a complete breakdown in training and authority in the Iraqi prison system.

He shared his frustration in his March 23 e-mail message to Mr. Hackworth's Web site, writing: "We have contacted the Red Cross, Congress both parties, Bill O'Reilly and many others. Nobody wants to touch this."

Less than five weeks later, images of his nephew — interviewed on "60 Minutes II" with Mr. Lawson's help — would be shown around the world. Far from untouchable, the story would become unavoidable.

[nopardons]

Because we don't need one. LOL

[Fledermaus]

I look forward to it...but how can anyone have an e-mail problem for so long? hmmmm

I'm off...wife's at her mother's in Ark and she has a new ktten that I have to deal with (it's bonding with me...I don't like it) but it's doing well with the litter box.

But it's hyper as kittens are. Seven hours tonight before it got sleepy.

Night.

[kcvl]

William Lawson, an uncle of Frederick's, said the Army was treating his nephew unfairly. "They're trying to portray him as a monster," said Lawson of Newburg, W.Va. "He's just the guy they put in charge of the prison."

Frederick's wife, Martha, of Buckingham, Va., said her husband, in Iraq since last April, told her his unit was not provided proper training and equipment.

"I feel like things are being covered up," she said.



Frederick said the way the Army operated the prison led to the abuse of prisoners, 60 Minutes II reported. It said Frederick would plead not guilty.

"We had no support, no training whatsoever," Frederick told CBS, "and I kept asking my chain of command for certain things, rules and regulations, and it just wasn't happening."

Frederick's civilian attorney, Gary Myers of Washington, said he had urged the commanding general in Iraq to treat the case as an administrative matter, like those of seven officers who also were investigated.

"I can assure you Chip Frederick had no idea how to humiliate an Arab until he met up" with higher-ranking people who told him how, Myers said.

In civilian life, Frederick has been a correctional officer for six years at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Va., his wife and a state agency spokesman said.

[sjeann]

Hackworth is on the Gordon Liddy show a lot- almost every day. He was discussing this just a few days ago. I thought I heard him say he sent the pictures to CBS but wasn't sure because I don't pay very close attention to him. He certainly didn't sound like he was at all sorry about how it has turned out.

[Rightwing Conspiratr1]

All this anger over the pictures getting out suggests you're fine with the behavior recorded on those pictures - you just don't want news of the behavior to get out.

Bingo. You smell the rank stench of hypocrisy here too.

[A CA Guy]

I was going by WW2 when we executed (I believe) 70 American soldiers for rape of civilians.

If she or others did that to kids of captives or other such things T, they have issues that still make them suitable for death unless laws changed in the military since WW2.

[Texasforever]

I was going by WW2 when we executed (I believe) 70 American soldiers for rape of civilians.

WW2 was a long time ago. Rape was a capital crime in civilian courts too. Rape is not a capital crime under the UMCJ today.

[ValerieUSA]

This is NOT your private mailbox.
I didn't say I didn't want a reply. He asked me, "Who cares what you think?" which sounds more like that sentiment than anything I said.
Forget it... I didn't realize the thread had been taken over by an intimate conversation.

[nopardons]

Unlike you, I've read and kept up with this thread from the beginning. My reading comprehension, which HAS been tested(has yours ever been ?)is at 99.9-100%!:-)

You went off on a childish diatribe,which was besmirched with emotional diarrhea.

I highly suggest that you not only takes a much needed course in reading comprehension,but one in logic,ones in debate,and one in writing.

Truth? You wouldn't know what the truth is,if it crawled all over your face and bit you on the nose! You spewed forth your own invective laden opinion and now call that "truth." LOL

[kcvl]

Army Reserves Staff Sgt. Ivan "Chip" Frederick wrote that Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad lacked the humane standards of the Virginia state prison where he worked in civilian life, according to a journal he started after military investigators first questioned him in January. (Related story: Arab TV broadcasts images of humiliated Iraqi prisoners)

The Iraqi prisoners were sometimes confined naked for three consecutive days without toilets in damp, unventilated cells with floors 3 feet by 3 feet, Frederick wrote in materials obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

"When I brought this up with the acting BN (battalion) commander, he stated, 'I don't care if he has to sleep standing up.' That's when he told my company commander that he was the BN commander and for me to do as he says," Frederick wrote.

The writings were supplied by Frederick's uncle, William Lawson, who said Frederick wanted to document what was happening to him. Lawson and Martha Frederick, the sergeant's wife, said Frederick was being made a scapegoat for commanders who gave him no guidance on managing hundreds of POWs with just a handful of ill-trained, poorly equipped troops.

Lt. Cmdr. Nicholas Balice, spokesman for the Central Command, which is in charge of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, said he couldn't comment on Frederick's writings, but that the allegations against him were appropriately investigated.


Daniel Sivits — whose son, 24-year-old Spc. Jeremy C. Sivits, is also facing court-martial — said the young man "was just doing what he was told to do."

"Apparently, he was told to take a picture and he did what he was told," Daniel Sivits said Friday. He said his son, from Hyndman, Pa., did not tell him what he photographed.

A Sun reporter on Thursday showed a photo of one of the nude prisoner scenes to Terrie England, who recognized her daughter, reservist Lynndie R. England, 21, standing in the foreground with her boyfriend.

"Oh, my God," she told the newspaper from the stoop in front of her Fort Ashby, W.Va., home. "I can't get over this."




There will be "no scapegoats" in the investigation of Iraqi war prisoner abuse, the Army Reserve said Saturday, as its top commander met with family members of the unit at the center of the probe.

[My back yard]

hello again, be sure to read the links on post 10

[Fledermaus]

HA! Talk about BS.

You have no idea since you can't possibly have read my history of post since most aren't even logged.

Liberal? I'm more conservative than anyone you know. You are the liberal since you wence at my thoughts and started this "debate" by attacking them.

Talk about liberal tendencies. Try debating them instead of just attacking them as you have done. I'm glad you think you are so self important but if you check, I've been here for years longer than you have and I've seen you kind come and go.

And you have the audacity to tell others to comprehend? You are the biggest abuser since you have NO CLUE as to what I wrote since you are 180 degrees off from my views as I clearly posted them.

No sir, it's you that is too stupid to know anyting. And your stupidity keeps you from simply reading the intent of a post because of your lack of ability to simply comprehend the language.

Nice try. The fact you used the term "liberal" more than once proves the point you can't accept any opinion but yours. No wonder us real conservatives get a bad when we don't drink you koolaid and wear pressed white hoods.

[A CA Guy]

So the laws changed? What are they now, life in the brig?

[BykrBayb]

Secondly, who cares what you think?

Consider the source. al qaeda hates women, and especially American women.

[Ken H]

All the sordid details of the sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners reminds me of the leather restraint "sex toys" discovered in Congressman Condit's Washington DC apartment during the investigation of his young mistress's disappearance.

I thought the same thing. He was on several House committees, including Intelligence oversight.

This damn thing has gotten so crazy, I wouldn't rule out anything.

[MN_Mike]

Me Suspect:

The release of photos and videos are being used to blackmail the US government so that it will go easy on these dirt bags.

The remaining ones are being held back as leverage.

[nopardons]

I'm a WOMAN and so are many who agree with and reply to Flerdermaus.He has NEVER insulted me,nor anyother wsoman here. What he does do,is treat posters equa,lly.Isn't that what you want,olr do you expect SPECIAL "treatment",because you're a female?

And newbie...you sound like the troll here.

[Texasforever]

From what I have read and heard from military sources on tv and in print, she could receive up to 20 years at hard labor as a max.

[pt17]

and private is where I should remain since the average poster her is a moron

You frustrated or just arrogant?

[TexKat]

Iraq 'abuse' contractors go on the offensive

By Datamonitor

Published Friday 7th May 2004 09:34 GMT

Defense contractor CACI International went on the offensive on Wednesday as it sought to contain the fallout from the alleged involvement of some of its staff in the abuse of prisoners in Iraq. CACI and Titan, another contractor named in accusations, risk becoming an easy target for the US Government as it looks to find someone to blame.

CACI and Titan have both rushed to respond to the leaking of a US Army report, which reportedly alleged that staff from private contractors had been linked to "sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses" occurring in Abu Ghraib prison in late 2003. A clear concern for CACI is the potential damage that being named in the Taguba report could do to its reputation and business. CACI provides a range of technology services and application development and implementation for the military. It also provides non-IT related services such as training, intelligence and national security services.

The open discussion CACI is having with the press and its customers about the allegations is clearly a charm offensive, which it hopes will maintain an image of openness and trust. However, what is inevitable is that the longer the debacle continues, the more damage it is going to cause CACI.

Titan is currently undergoing an SEC investigation into alleged corruption. The company, which is currently being acquired by Lockheed Martin, came under a criminal investigation by the US Justice Department in early March for allegedly making illegal payments to certain international officials.

This scandal already put the proposed $2.4bn merger with Lockheed in doubt. Should Titan end up being implicated in the Iraq abuse case, this could become another stumbling block to the merger.

Yet perhaps the biggest threat to the long-term future of both CACI and Titan could be from the US Government itself. Keen to find some resolution to this political issue, it could end up pursuing a witch-hunt against any of the private contractors that have been involved in the alleged abuses.

This does not bode well for either CACI or Titan, which to date say they have not received any accusation, indictment, or even a phone call from the US Government questioning their propriety.

Source: ComputerWire/Datamonitor