General who probed Abu Ghraib says Bush officials committed war crimes

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.newsobserver.com/1573/story/1498507.html

Apr. 23, 2009 08:01PM

WASHINGTON — The Army general who led the investigation into prisoner abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison accused the Bush administration Wednesday of committing "war crimes" and called for those responsible to be held to account.

The remarks by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who's now retired, came in a new report that found that U.S. personnel tortured and abused detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, using beatings, electrical shocks, sexual humiliation and other cruel practices.

"After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts and reports from human rights organizations, there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes," Taguba wrote. "The only question that remains to be answered is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account."

Taguba, whose 2004 investigation documented chilling abuses at Abu Ghraib, is thought to be the most senior official to have accused the administration of war crimes. "The commander in chief and those under him authorized a systematic regime of torture," he wrote.

[hlthe2b]

1. Go, Taguba....

Damn.... Unequivocal!

[Octafish]

2. Integrity

Taguba has it.

Bush and all his cronies don't.

[KansDem]

3. Just release the videos showing the sodomizing of children and put an end to this once and for all!

This is just getting fucking ridiculous! Let Americans, and the world, see what Sy Hersh wrote about in 2004 and let all Hell break loose.

FUCK YOU, MCCAIN!!! FUCK YOU, COKIE!!! FUCK YOU, FOXNEWS!!! FUCK YOU, RUSH!!! FUCK YOU, PEGGY!!! FUCK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE DISMISSING THIS!!!

WE TORTURED!!!!!!!!

[OneGrassRoot]

7. Yep. That would do it. That's what needs to happen.....

and if they don't want to release videos, put out sworn statements that it happened, and it was a result of BushCo policy.

I'd love to hear people defend THAT.

I'm still waiting to hear from Mr. Hersh. Can't wait. Hopefully now that stuff is declassified, he's going to release something REALLY explosive shortly.

[BR_Parkway]

17. There's a whole lot of us GLBT who are waiting to get

the demonization for that one - they'll never see that it was a power thing and not a part of the "homosexualist" agenda by a few bad apples. Especially since the right-wingers are never ending in their crusade to convince the rest of the population how we're all pedophiles.

[Spazito]

18. Speaking of Sy Hersh...

I remember him saying there would be many speaking out to him about the actions of the Bush administration, starting on January 21, 2009. I suspect that is happening now which is why he has been quiet while the current revelations are being published. When he does publish on this, it will be major, I have little doubt.

[mmonk]

4. I believe he said one time when he was threatened over his

investigation and that he would be investigated because of his report, he wasn't sure after all these years if he was still working for the United States Army or the mafia.

[lapfog_1]

5. The one person (even above Cheney and Bush)

the one person I want to see in prison for the rest of his life is this guy...




Geoffrey D. Miller.

A real scum sucking piece of shit.

[DURHAM D]

6. Yep - and put Gen. Karpinski in charge of his prison. n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

8. "beatings, electrical shocks, sexual humiliation and other cruel practices"

I wonder if the GOP will concede that electric shocks and beatings are torture. If not, then what the hell IS torture in their minds?

The GOP is becoming the party of sadistic torture. They're proud when torture is committed in our name. This is scary stuff folks considering they are a major political party.

Something also tells me that many folks within the military establishment wouldn't mind seeing civilian Bush administration officials prosecuted for war crimes. They realize the damage they have done to this country.

[ThomWV]

9. K&R

[pleah]

10. K&R

[The Magistrate]

11. An Honorable General, Sir

[ohheckyeah]

12. I don't know how there can be any doubt about the torture, but

rightwingers are real bright.

"The doctors and experts determined that the men had been subject to cruelties that ranged from isolation, sleep deprivation and hooding to electric shocks, beating and, in one case, being forced to drink urine."

[Vidar]

13. Kudos to the General.

[BelgianMadCow]

14. Aah yesss the Taguba report (link to executive summary)

I remember feeling totally miffed why it got published and shit didn't even get close to the fan...


hoping for better this time around
bmc

on edit: here's the report Taguba wrote.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4894001/

CONCLUSION

1. (U) Several US Army Soldiers have committed egregious acts and grave breaches of international law at Abu Ghraib/BCCF and Camp Bucca, Iraq. Furthermore, key senior leaders in both the 800th MP Brigade and the 205th MI Brigade failed to comply with established regulations, policies, and command directives in preventing detainee abuses at Abu Ghraib (BCCF) and at Camp Bucca during the period August 2003 to February 2004.

Also note: the general that perfected abuse at Guantanamo and exported the techniques to Iraq is GEOFFREY D. MILLER. A name to definitely include in the chain of disgusting command

[bleever]

15. "Current administration"? Why is it copyright 2008?

Kate Starr worked in the * administration.

Something I'm not getting here.

[malaise]

16. Bravo Maj. Gen. Taguba

They all know you are correct and they are scared shitless.