Posted on 05/21/2004 1:49:49 AM PDT by manwiththeplan
Graphic accounts by Iraqi prisoners of abuse at the hands of US soldiers have been published in a US newspaper, with fresh images depicting ill-treatment.
The Washington Post says it has seen hundreds of videos and photos which show previously unseen abusive techniques.
In sworn statements, detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad said they were beaten and sexually humiliated.
They were also force-fed pork and alcohol, against their Muslim beliefs.
The new photos include one of a prisoner being menaced by a soldier with a dog.
In other abuses depicted in the latest pictures:
A naked prisoner who appears to be covered in excrement is paraded down a corridor
A hooded detainee is pictured in a state of collapse
A US soldier appears to be raining blows down on detainees sprawled on the floor The Washington Post report also describes a video clip which shows an inmate shackled to a door.
He repeatedly slams his head into the metal, leaving streaks of blood, before he ultimately collapses at the feet of the cameraman.
The latest revelations came as the US began releasing 472 detainees from Abu Ghraib prison.
The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the paper appears to have gained access to photos and video clips recently shown to members of Congress by the Pentagon but not made public.
Our correspondent says the pictures do nothing to assist in the search for those ultimately responsible for the abuse - but they will do plenty to darken the already depressed mood in Washington about the conduct of the war and its future outcome.
Humiliated
In the accompanying accounts, several Iraqi prisoners are quoted giving graphic details of abuse by US soldiers.
One detainee, named in the report as Ameen Saeed al-Sheik, said he was asked by a soldier whether he believed in anything.
"I said to him, 'I believe in Allah.' So he said, 'But I believe in torture and I will torture you.'"
He said one soldier struck his broken leg and ordered him to curse Islam.
"Because they started to hit my broken leg, I curse my religion," the paper quoted him as saying. "They ordered me to thank Jesus I'm alive."
Other detainees said they were stripped on arrival at the prison, forced to wear women's underwear and repeatedly humiliated in front of each other and American soldiers.
Courts martial
The Washington Post said eight of the detainees identified one soldier, Specialist Charles Graner, who is facing charges of maltreatment, indecent acts and obstruction of justice.
One detainee accused him of repeatedly throwing prisoners' meals into the toilets and saying, "Eat it."
Spc Graner has previously said he was following instructions given to him by military intelligence officials.
The Washington Post said it had tried to contact Spc Graner's lawyer, but he had not returned the paper's calls.
Spc Graner is one of seven US soldiers who have been ordered to stand trial on charges of abusing prisoners at Abu Ghraib jail.
One, Jeremy Sivits, has already pleaded guilty at a court martial to four counts including maltreatment of detainees. He was jailed for a year, demoted and discharged from service.
Following the abuse scandal in Iraq, new questions have been raised over the treatment of inmates held by the US at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
US defence officials say that in late 2002, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved a request by interrogators to use some techniques that went beyond normal military doctrine.
However, they add that the changes were later scaled back after objections from military lawyers.
Well, now the anti-Americans can open up the "crusade" aspect again with these allegations {/rolleyes}
Some of these prisoners openly spank the monkey as they stare at guards walking by. Many of these prisoners are real creeps. Most of them were locked away because they are human refuse. I'm getting SICK of coddling terrorists. Our nation is becoming such whimps.
Here's what I suggest: We are allowed, by the Geneva Convention, to shoot un-uniformed soldiers. Let's get busy. We can interrogate the worst of them on a rifle range, taking pot shots at their guts! We can video-tape it and gloat about it. All perfectly legal.
If the rats want something to whine about, let's give them a better reason. Let's sneak attack Syria perhaps, and not even tell reporters until after they find out second hand. Let's ban reporters in Syria. How about that? Let's ban Al Jazeera in Syria. Let's even take the worst Iraqi prisoners to Syria.
We've proven that we can be nice, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. But we had a resistance movement in both countries. So to heck with reporters getting in the way in Syria.
You know, the strongest evidence that this goes no farther then the handful already facing trial is staring everyone in the face.
Even beyond Lynndie England's videotaped sexcapades, were this the work of professional it would never have been videotaped or photographed.
Of course, the W Post and the other Leftists harping on this story have only one goal, and that isn't to get to the bottom of this. There goal is simply to make us lose the war however possible. They aren't even coy about it anymore.
I would suggest then, to save everyone the trouble, the W Post could run a headline of "Bush, War, Evil Say We." everyday.
The Leftist could get their daily does of propaganda and the W Post wouldn't have to spend so much time wrting leading "news" stories.
Once again, our media hands our enemies a loaded propaganda gun to justify killing our soldiers with.
If another one of our hostages gets killed ... or when another one of our soldiers gets blown up .. their body parts should be sent right straight to the Washington Post.
Freedom of speech also implies responsibility. Or, is RESPONSIBILYTY a quaint notion of mine ... ?
What a bunch of a$$ holes the media is. Where do they raise these folks?
Drip, drip, drip. They ought to be able to release 3 or 4 pics a week until November.
This should put to bed the carping about CBS being asked to delay any release of photos.
If the integrity of the news is sooooo important ... why is there a selective and ongoing drip-drip-drip of new stuff every week?
These same b@st@rds who howl and moan about one child being killed by a stray bullet and want to completely eliminate gun rights forever are utterly blind to how their abuse of their first amendment rights damages America in far worse ways. E.g., damaging our resolve in the necessary war against terrorism, and ruining the president.
Anything to sell a newspaper. And destroy a Republican president.
Mainly in mosques, it would appear.
...even more horrifying, they were not allowed to carry out videotaped beheadings or to use children as shields when fired upon, also in conflict with their esteemed Muzzy beliefs.
Oh, the humanity!
Mohammedan dogs are not required by the rules of their death cult to be truthful with infidels.
Their sworn statements have no credibility with any sane human being.
I question the sanity of anyone who would even participate in a process that acquired such statements.
Their ignorance of cult rules makes them incompetent to conduct such inquiries.
Who cares?
You cannot rely on this type of information. The SS and Japanese used these tactics in WW II and most GIs laughed about the line they gave their captors. Another problem arises when these stories get out and the resistance increases. An enemy will fight to the death rather than take a chance on getting captured.
Your right! Most of the prisoners are harden criminals and terrorist. I think its high time to have some of our good MP's talk about their experience guarding this monsters. Show pictures of improvised weapons made out of combs and show injuries the guards received. I have seen improvised weapons and they put a chill up your back. The General's reports made statements about the escapes and riots in the prison, we need to know how they were subdued? Since the American Public wants to see pictures of inmates, lets have stories about inmates who knifed a guard! Show the scars! Guards are abused by prisoners too. Average Joe doesn't know this.
These are enemy combatants with no uniforms they are talking about and one thing I have noticed is that the verbal description of these photos and videos seem to be worse than they are. The Dems described them as horific but what I saw was part porno and part frat.I sure hope we did not ask the prisoners to drink a gallon of beer. Maybe the Press would like to do an article on what life is like as a prisoner in an Arab prison.
YEA! Baby keep it coming. Keep the images in the press, keep pounding away at it. All along saw this is an example of how our military is failing. Never forget to tell the public that it takes courage to be against a war. Never forget to tell Americans that your a patriotic American and are for defense. Do that and you can call yourself Kerry!
I'm confused. I'm a simple uncultured American who dose not get it. When you take 2 civilians out of a car who were wounded and kill them, then hack them up and hang one from a bridge. When you cut peoples heads off on camera and boast. When the enemy uses Colateral damage as a guage for success. When they wear no uniforms and use women and children as shields. When they use chemical weapons (as has been the case). How does this compare to the Army initiating invesigations before ANY media account of this came out and internally finding the curprits and punishing them? How does it compare when even though wrong, these soldiers never endangered the life limb or eye sight of the Iraqis and other than humiliating them did nothing? The Army uncovered the problem and is dealing with it LONG before the media even knew (Last NOV). They will punish those who commited the crimes and will enact control measures to prevent future incidents such as this from occuring. How is this failure? How is this comparable to the other side? Why is this even a scandle? What scandle, where when why? It was taken care of and being dealth with even before Kerry started to politicize the issue and CNN chased the international viewership with Antiamericanism (which sells well, ask Michael Moore).
Red6
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