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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

Posted on 05/07/2004 11:02:41 PM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2004electionbias; 60minutes; abugerbil; agitprop; bushhaters; cbs; ccrm; crazyivan; dontaskdonttell; hacknut; hackworth; iraq; iraqaftermath; iraqipow; iraqipowphotos; ivanfrederick; jailhouselawyers; loathesthemilitary; media; mediabias; moralrelativism; prisonabuse; propaganda; saddamites; therestofthestory
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To: ValerieUSA
You don't have to read the thread. Unless you've been hired to be the thread Police.

Otherwise, what have you bothered to contribute? Nothing.

Go mind someone else's business.
261 posted on 05/08/2004 1:05:48 AM PDT by Fledermaus
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To: Fledermaus
Because the site was down.I'll explain it all...I promise.

Oh just admit it,you really like the new kitten. LOL

Pleasant dreams.

262 posted on 05/08/2004 1:06:39 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Fledermaus
Since when is a Free Republic thread your personal business?
263 posted on 05/08/2004 1:06:52 AM PDT by ValerieUSA
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To: Texasforever
Wow, 20 years would be a long delivery for her pregnancy...
Sorry, I couldn't resist. :-)
264 posted on 05/08/2004 1:09:25 AM PDT by A CA Guy (God Bless America, God bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: ValerieUSA
Uh...it's a FORUM for debate, conversation, remarks, etc.

Don't like it? Complain to Jim or have me kicked out. It's not about your defintion either!

Or can't you handle that?
265 posted on 05/08/2004 1:09:27 AM PDT by Fledermaus
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To: Texasforever
It is strange, very healthy looking bunch of Iraqis too. And the picture looks so staged, big grins, fishy.
266 posted on 05/08/2004 1:09:30 AM PDT by My back yard
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To: nopardons
I wish I knew.   There was some speculation on the live thread starting here.

Rep. Weldon was one of the last to question Secretary Rumsfeld.  Even Fox News had cut from the testimony at that time.

I don't think Secretary Rumsfeld responded to the question.

We also know from General Myers' response to a question from Senator Sessions that soldiers accused in the Taguba report had access to it for rebuttal purposes.   As I understand it, the report can be used not only as a springboard to court marshall, but also to admonish the accused soldiers in other ways.   It's not clear whether they also had access to the pictures.  Maybe someone who is familiar with military law could explain.

If you beleive Hillary! slipped up and stated that she had access to the actual Taguba report before the Pentagon, perhaps this staffer was the leaker.

But this is all just speculation.
267 posted on 05/08/2004 1:09:49 AM PDT by conservative in nyc
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To: kcvl
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...he was put in charge of the prison, but he's "innocent"? He spent SIX years as a prison guard in civilian life,but has NO idea HOW to treat prisoners?

This is what his defense is?

268 posted on 05/08/2004 1:09:57 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Rightwing Conspiratr1
I hate and despise the pictures,the people who created the pictures,the people who enabled the behavior,the poor command oversight and the lack of discipline but the pictures should not have been posted during the worst month of fighting,endangering the honorable troops.

It incensed the arab world and their hyocrisy is enraging me.I deplore the miscreants behavior and just hope they get all responsible.Corrections are being made.We are America,and once bad behavior,criminal behavior and dereliction of duty is discovered,we try to fix it.We are not perfect,but do try to improve.
269 posted on 05/08/2004 1:10:51 AM PDT by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)
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To: kcvl
Our military considers it unacceptable abuse, our President considers it unacceptable abuse.... and yet there are dozens of posters on FR that call it "nothing" or "hazing".
270 posted on 05/08/2004 1:11:18 AM PDT by Rightwing Conspiratr1 (Lock-n-load!)
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To: ValerieUSA
It's NOT "intimate" at all.Just old friends talking a bit. It happens on most threads.
271 posted on 05/08/2004 1:11:36 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: A Citizen Reporter
Hey, I blew right by this one. Good find.
272 posted on 05/08/2004 1:11:41 AM PDT by MN_Mike (In Pelosi, Kerry and the Blow Fish (Kennedy) We Mis-Trust)
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To: A CA Guy
I had heard "hard labor" all my life and never thought much about it. There was a military JAG officer on one of the talk shows that explained exactly what it meant. In today's jargon it means working at the most unpleasant prison job for 12 hours a day 7 days a week. It used to be the rock pile but that has long since gone away and he didn't go into detail about what jobs they would be today. But think about 20 years 12 hours a day 7 days a week cleaning toilets.
273 posted on 05/08/2004 1:15:21 AM PDT by Texasforever (The French love John Kerry. He is their new Jerry Lewis)
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To: nopardons; Texasforever; McGavin999
I want this thing pursued.

I want to know who was behind leaking these pictures and I want to watch them dangle from the end of a rope.
The damage that has been done to this country and our military as a result of this just can't be calculated.
179 McGavin999

______________________________________


I am with ya on that.
182 Texasforever

______________________________________


I think that ALL of us want exactly THAT!
If what Rummy said today is any indication of things to come,we just might be in for some interesting times.
190 nopardons

_____________________________________


Rest assured, this will be pursued.

No ropes will be used, but the unintentended consequences of losing civil control of the military intelligence apparatus in Iraq will reach to the top levels of our government, -- as incompetence in any war always does, one way or another.

That's the way our system works, sports fans.. The buck stops at the white house.

We have been cursed to live in 'interesting times'.
Sit back and try to control your emotions, as the sky will not fall. We are in Iraq for the long haul.
274 posted on 05/08/2004 1:18:06 AM PDT by tpaine (In their arrogance, a few infinitely shrewd imbeciles attempt to lay down the 'law' for all of us.)
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To: nopardons
He may not have insulted you in a way that you can understand, but when he treats you as less-than just because you're female, that's an insult. You go along with it, so he gives you a reach-around, which seems to satisfy you. That may be enough for you, but please don't insist that I settle for it.
275 posted on 05/08/2004 1:18:44 AM PDT by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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To: All
I haven't read all the posts yet but I haven't seen his e-mail address posted yet, so here it is.

teagles@hackworth.com

276 posted on 05/08/2004 1:18:52 AM PDT by Terp (Retired living in Philippines were the Mountains meet the Sea in the Land of Smiles)
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To: conservative in nyc
Thanks alot.
277 posted on 05/08/2004 1:19:22 AM PDT by beaversmom (Michael Medved has the Greatest radio show on GOD's Green Earth)
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To: MN_Mike
"The release of photos and videos are being used to blackmail the US government so that it will go easy on these dirt bags. "

I think that could be the case. We didn't see the news report until after the investigation was well under way and certainly going bad for the soldiers involved. The theory of blaming society (Armed Forced Version) is well established in Criminal Defense. If you can spread the blame around you don't look so bad.

278 posted on 05/08/2004 1:20:14 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: conservative in nyc
I'm not at all familiar with military protocol,so I guess we'll just have to wait and perhaps someone will explain it in more detail.

But it really does appear that Hillary opened wide,stuck both feet in her mouth,and then jumped,during the Rummy questioning.Something's afoot,but all we have is speculation right now.

279 posted on 05/08/2004 1:20:58 AM PDT by nopardons
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To: Fledermaus
I know you've been pushing your liberal twist-the-facts and blame-anyone-but-the-guilty philosophy here for a long time. The length of time that you've been trolling doesn't qualify you as a conservative.

No sir, it's you that is too stupid to know anyting.

So much for your near-perfect reading comprehension skills.

Whoever told you that being a conservative meant hating women, was lying. So if you intend to continue pretending to be a conservative, you might want to cut back on that.

280 posted on 05/08/2004 1:21:35 AM PDT by BykrBayb (5 minutes of prayer for Terri, every day at 11 am EDT, until she's safe. http://www.terrisfight.org)
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