Rumsfeld approved abuse?

[shesulsa]

Salon cites Lt. Gen. Randall M. Schmidt, an Army investigator, as saying in a sworn statement to the inspector general that “The secretary of defense is personally involved in the interrogation of one person.” (emphasis mine) Rumsfeld had weekly contact with Miller, according to Salon.

Schmidt is quoted under oath as saying he concluded that Rumsfeld did not specifically order the interrogation methods used on Kahtani, but that Rumsfeld’s approval of broad policies permitted abuses to take place.

Full Article.

Thoughts?

 

[bushidomartialarts]

unsurprised.

outraged.

discouraged.

sad.

 

[michaeledward]

There are several different ways I might like to respond to your query. But how to respond without feeding the pre-conceptions many on this board have concerning anything I type.

There is little doubt that on many of the threads in this study, people react reflexively to anything I post. Because I can point to so few things the current administration has done that are acceptable to me, I often get accused of a 'hatred of the President'. The immediacy of that McCarthyism argument soon degrades any conversation.

In this instance, I recall a recently read bumper sticker: "If you are not outraged, you haven't been paying attention."

The ramifications of this revelation are so widespread. That the mistreatment of illegal detainees began, reportedly, in late 2002. Following that, we find similar interrogation methods being used at the detention facility in Abu Ghraib.

We have been told the abuses seen in these photos; (Note to Moderators, you may need to remove this link - it connects to mature photos) http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/02/16/abu_ghraib/portfolio.html were the result of a handful of low level soldiers not properly trained for the duties they were called to perform.

General Karpinski got a slap on the wrist - demotion to Colonel. Colonel Pappas was granted immunity for his testimony. Major General Miller did not testify. But, some Privates, Corporels and Seargents get jail-time. Seems the 'chain of command' just isn't at work. As such, doesn't that make our military dis-functional?

It is one small component of the question I raised here: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=469326&postcount=1

This war, this abuse, and all of the fallout of it belongs squarely to the Republican Party. We were told in 2004 that a battle decorated Democrat was not sufficient to lead the military. A small majority of voters agreed with that argument. And now we have a half-dozen retired Generals calling for the resignation of the Republican approved Secretary of Defense.

All of this belongs to the G.O.P. --- and in my opinion it is destroying America.

Apparently, we must destroy the country in order to save it.

 

[heretic888]

Full Article.

Thoughts?

Honestly??

Doesn't surprise me in the slightest.

Laterz.