Female GI In Abuse Photos Talks

CBSNEWS ^ | 5/12/04 | CBSNEWS.com

[NYC Republican]

Army Pfc. Lynndie England, seen worldwide in photographs that show her smiling and pointing at naked Iraqi prisoners, said she was ordered to pose for the photos, and felt "kind of weird" in doing so.

In an exclusive interview with Brian Maass of Denver CBS station KCNC-TV, England also confirmed that abuses worse than those depicted in the photos were carried out at the U.S.-run Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, but she declined to discuss them.

England, 21, repeatedly insisted that her actions were dictated by "persons in my higher chain of command."

In the photos, England is seen smiling, cigarette in her mouth, as she leans forward and points at the genitals of a naked, hooded Iraqis. Another photo taken at Abu Ghraib shows her holding a leash that encircles the neck of a naked Iraqi man lying on his side.

"I was instructed by persons in higher rank to stand there and hold this leash and look at the camera," she said.

England said the actions depicted in the photos were intended to put psychological pressure on the Iraqi prisoners.

"Well, I mean, they [the photos] were for psy-op reasons," she said "And the reasons worked. I mean, so to us, we were doing our job, which meant we were doing what we were told, and the outcome was what they wanted. They'd come back and they'd look at the pictures, and they'd state, 'Oh, that's a good tactic, keep it up. That's working. This is working. Keep doing it. It's getting what we need.'"

England, an Army reservist from West Virginia who is four months pregnant, is now stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The interview was taped Tuesday at Fort Bragg.

England is among seven soldiers from the 372nd Military Police Company who face charges for allegedly degrading and humiliating Iraqi prisoners. One soldier, Spc. Jeremy C. Sivits of Hyndman, Pa., will face a court-martial in Baghdad next week.

"To all of us who have been charged, we all agree that we don't feel like we were doing things that we weren't supposed to, because we were told to do them. We think everything was justified, because we were instructed to do this and to do that," England said.

She told KCNC she was looking forward to having her baby and hopefully one day putting the abuse scandal behind her.

[NYC Republican]

She's a lying disgrace.

[thegreatbeast]

Why is she represented by a civilian lawyer (the turd behind all her wheedling)?

[elfman2]

"She's a lying disgrace."

She’s a disgrace, but I suspect that what she’s saying is at least half true.

[finnman69]

Even if she was told to do this, she's not getting off the hook.

[Maceman]

she was ordered to pose for the photos, and felt "kind of weird" in doing so.

Judging by the smile on her face in the phots, she seemed to be having a pretty good time.

[Camerican]

Vee ver juss following oh-dahs....

Sound familiar?

[Adder]

Ok...should she be telling the truth...give out the names.

Maybe its just me here but after staring at these pics for a week now, doesn't it strike you that they are of the same prisoners? Maybe she is right here.....

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'm interested in seeing all the story and the outcome.

The real disgrace is whoever released the photos, (sold), to CBS and other media outlets.

When I was in the USAF 72-76 I would have known that posing in this way was an unlawful order and would have gone up the chain of command.

On the surface, I think she's lying too, but I will wait and see.

[jwalsh07]

Right, and they got intel from the bad guys by showing her amateur porn flicks as well. But she was only doing her duty.

[Agnes Heep]

At this juncture I couldn't care less if they dressed the sub-human bastards in clown costumes and stuck their filthy heads up an elephant's ass. They wouldn't be any dirtier for the experience.

[Rodm]

Get the women and homos out of the military. What a circus! We need an army, not a soap opera.

[Riley]

I remember being taught in no uncertain terms, that we were to refuse any unlawful orders, lest we be held to be as responsible as the persons who gave them. The express example that we were given had to do with prisoner handling.

[Core_Conservative]

Dog gone it - doesn't anyone realize that she has done a far more egregious thing? (Sarcasm in the works) One of the pictures show her smoking - and while being pregnant - the horror of it - and how did she become pregnant when it is a no no to have sex while deployed - jeez people - you gotta look at the right thing - (End Sarcasm)

[CatoRenasci]

Maybe, maybe not. We'll see in her court martial. If she's lying, it will come out. If not, we'll learn who gave her the orders.

[prairiebreeze]

So, what do you have against elephants?!

Prairie

[GOP_Proud]

< She’s a disgrace, but I suspect that what she’s saying is at least half true. >

Her smile looks legit. Were I ordered to do the same thing, that smile is not what I would have portrayed. I would hope I'd have at least questioned it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm more on the Rush Limbaugh side of this, but I just don't think I would have had the stomach for it...I mean to smile about it.

[1Old Pro]

The real disgrace is whoever released the photos, (sold), to CBS and other media outlets.

I agree. The media and the anti-Americans like Kennedy are harmful.

[snooker]

"She's a lying disgrace."

Maybe not. After all it is a war and out guys are getting killed. Just maybe the pictures were posed to show other prisoners a 'faked up' what if you don't talk.

Why should we be so worked up over these college level pranks. When a roadside bomb goes off the dead GIs don't get a second chance.

We are dealing with Muslims and it is difficult to think like these women dominating males. These kinds of 'disgraces' may be just the ticket to get these throw backs to the 6th century to talk. That is what we want isn't it, have them spill the beans and saving our guys lives.

Methinks the outrage is a tad overdone.