Bush would do these 12 things about Torture in Iraq if he cared.

[Eric J in MN]

From MOVELEFT.COM

George W. Bush announced at a press conference on May 6, 2004 that he told the King of Jordan he was "sorry" about the "humiliation" of Iraqi prisoners.

However, I am unconvinced of Bush's sincerity.

I will believe he is truly sorry when he does the following:

1) Bush makes surprise inspections of prisons in Iraq, including Abu Ghraib. Meets with prisoners without the guards around to discuss their own treatment and for recommendations on other prisoners who may have been mistreated he should talk to.

2) Bush meets with former prisoners who were mistreated by the US, and the families of prisoners who were beaten to death by US interrogators. Arranges for generous compensation, on the level that the family of an American prisoner who was beaten to death during an interrogation would receive.

3) Bush announces that he was wrong to take the position that "enemy combatants," don't have the protection of the Geneva Convention, and ask Congress to pass a law saying NO PRISONER may be hurt, humiliated, stripped, or blindfolded, with harsh criminal penalties for anyone who orders such treatment.

Relatedly, Bush asks the Supreme Court to rule against him in the Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi cases now before the court.

4) Bush requires all prisons under US control to allow journalists and human rights organizations unfettered access.

Relatedly, Bush releases the International Red Cross from its agreement to only report its finding to the "occupying power" (the US) and encourages the IRC to share its findings with journalists.

5) Asks Congress to create a new oversight organization for prisons, whose leadership will be chosen by 5 Democrats and 5 Republicans. This organization will have unfettered access to all US prisons in the world, and the power to bring criminal prosecutions.

6) Gives medals to soldiers who blew the whistle on the mistreatment of prisoners in Iraq.

7) Encourages the prosecution of those who gave the orders for the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners, not just those who followed the orders.

People mentioned in a New Yorker article by Seymour Hersh are among those who should be criminally investigated:

General Taguba saved his harshest words for the military-intelligence officers and private contractors. He recommended that Colonel Thomas Pappas, the commander of one of the M.I. brigades, be reprimanded and receive non-judicial punishment, and that Lieutenant Colonel Steven Jordan, the former director of the Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center, be relieved of duty and reprimanded. He further urged that a civilian contractor, Steven Stephanowicz, of CACI International, be fired from his Army job, reprimanded, and denied his security clearances for lying to the investigating team and allowing or ordering military policemen “who were not trained in interrogation techniques to facilitate interrogations by ‘setting conditions’ which were neither authorized” nor in accordance with Army regulations. “He clearly knew his instructions equated to physical abuse,” Taguba wrote. He also recommended disciplinary action against a second CACI employee, John Israel. (A spokeswoman for CACI said that the company had “received no formal communication” from the Army about the matter.)
The top military intelligence officer in Iraq, Maj. Gen. Barbara Fast should be criminally investigated as well.
General Geoffrey Miller initiated the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib through his recommendations as a visitor to the prison. General Miller is now in charge of the prison. He should also be investigated.

8) Hands over any civilians who ordered Iraqis hurt or who personally hurt Iraqis to be tried by an Iraqi court.

This includes a civilian contractor involved in one of two homicides of prisoners in Iraq, among 25 suspicious deaths of prisoners under investigation.

9) Arranges for rape counseling for women raped in Abu Ghraib. Also, prosecution of the rapists.

10) Ends the practice of blindfolding Iraqis as they are arrested. Small humiliations lead to worse humiliations.

11) Disciplines the people at the "highest levels of the Pentagon and the Justice Department" who approved stripping prisoners, which violates the Geneva Convention ban on humiliating prisoners.

12) Provides due process of law. Any Iraqi arrested by US troops should get an attorney and be able to challenge his or her detention. The families of Iraqis being detained should be informed at all times of where they are being held and allowed to visit on any day.


MOVELEFT.COM

[DenverDem]

1. It's great how rummy went to Abu Ghraib

to tell them what a great job they were doing.

[Eric J in MN]

2. my first reaction to Rumsfeld going there was positive, but

At first at thought it's good Rumsfeld is inspecting Abu Ghraib.

But he wasn't inspecting.


The secretary stressed they were not visiting Baghdad to inspect progress or do any sort of review of operations. "We're not on an inspection tour, we're not inspectors."



Rumsfeld just went to cheer the troops at Abu Ghraib.

We need changes, not cheer, regarding interrogation procedures.

[Eric J in MN]

3. kick

kick

[gratuitous]

4. Under number 2, the "generous compensation"

I recall Chimpy, in full war hardon mode, talking about how the terrorists thought we'd just file a lawsuit against 'em. You know, that namby-pamby reaction not fitting for fightin' men of action like Lil George, the pickup truck cowboy.

He'd better hope and do a lot of praying to his "other" father that the wrongfully detained will be satisfied with "generous compensation." A whole lot of righteous anger is building in Iraq and other places against the U.S. As debasing as making payoffs might be, it's a whole lot better than the prospect of further terrorist attacks.

[Eric J in MN]

6. I don't think compensation is debasing.

I don't think compensation is debasing.

When a prisoner in the US is mistreated by guards or the police, he can sue, or if he's killed, his family can sue for compensation.
------------------

Regarding the line from Bush that the that Al Quaeda thought we'd sue them, actually Al Quaeda wanted war. They believe that they destroyed the Soviet Union through the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and wanted to destroy the US the same way.

If Bush had ordered a war against Al Quaeda in Afghanistn after it was confirmed that Al Quada was reponsible for the Cole bombing, September 11 may have not happened since the terrorists would have gotten their war.

[gratuitous]

8. I don't either

But you know the folks opposed to it will say that it's debasing to try to buy off people's dignity with money. Which is usually a phony argument that roughly translates to "it's debasing to compensate people with my money."

[Eric J in MN]

9. Rumsfeld told Congress there will be compensation,

Rumsfeld told Congress there will be compensation for prisoners, at the start of his testimony, but he wasn't specific.

[meow mix]

5. he's too terrified to meet the prisoners..

theyd have to be strapped down like hannibal lector, before he would get close enough to talk to one.

[Eric J in MN]

7. I don't disagree, I'm just saying that ideally we would have a

I don't disagree, I'm just saying that ideally we would have a courageous President.

[immune2irony]

10. Uh, you're missing the most important things

#13. FIRE DONALD RUMSFELD!

#14. Resign.