Split on abuse inquiry

[drfemoe]

May 4, 2004
Split on abuse inquiry
Dems want swift action; GOP defers to administration

A partisan split is developing on Capitol Hill over whether Congress should launch an investigation on the abuses U.S. soldiers inflicted on Iraqi prisoners of war.

Key Democratic lawmakers are calling for Congress to launch an independent inquiry, but several Republicans dismissed the notion that Congress should get involved before the administration concludes its own inquiries.
...
The Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), is scheduled to receive a briefing by Department of Defense officials on the status of the investigation this morning.

But Democrats are seeking more than a briefing.

“I’m appalled by the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners,” Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) told the Hill. “We need an independent investigation into these reports to find out how and why it happened, exactly who was responsible and how widespread it was,” said Murtha, the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, in a statement. “I want the truth.”

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) said, ... <end snip>
http://www.thehill.com/news/050404/abuse.aspx

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I already called my congresswoman's office and both senators

and demanded an independent inquiry of the contractors involved and their involvement in this scandal.

We should ALL demand an independent inquiry.

[drfemoe]

12. Good for You!

Did they have a "comment"?

[calimary]

22. You absolutely positively betcha! HERE'S SOME HELP...

PLEASE NOTE MY SIG LINE – TO CALL YOUR REPS, TOLL FREE!!!

OR, TRY (877) – 762 – 8762. It’ll get you there, too! (Thank you, DUer redqueen!)


Please note, here, The World's Greatest Lists of Media Contacts – updated April 30, 2004– in the following thread:

LINK:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1504379

IF THEY THINK WE DON’T CARE, THEY WON’T, EITHER!


Frankly, I've been calling EVERYBODY I can think of. Started with Boxer/Feinstein/Waxman, and went on from there!

MAKE A STINK, PEOPLE!!!! Because THIS stinks - ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE!!!

And if you call people, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure to call a republi-CON. These people need to hear from us, to know that we are ONTO them - and that WE KNOW it starts from an Oval Office whose occupant refuses to take responsibility for anything, refuses to admit he made any mistakes or did anything wrong, refuses to apologize to anybody for anything, and has thus set a tone where THIS is what results. So we have a handful of soldiers at the VERY BOTTOM of the food chain who are facing court martial, and a few just above them who are getting a REPRIMAND?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?

And WHY should John Warner need to have a briefing from people in the Defense Department - who are the very same people who should be facing charges for this!!!?????!?!?!??!?!

[tabasco]

2. Damn right there should be an investigation !

If Congress isn't interested in military crimes like this, what are they interested in? They control the pursestrings, they should know what they're paying for. This is a disgrace to the entire Nation, Congress should be hot on it. But the repugs only care about important issues like the Clenis.

[Cocoa]

3. Republicans are soft on torture

what was Hagel thinking, saying "Mistakes were made. Atrocities happen."

[JoFerret]

5. Seymour Hersch on Lehrer NewsHour tonight was incensed

at those who sent the kids to guard the prison. He is angry at the command that denies responsibility and blames the few bad seeds. he was excellent. If you can catch the discussion with Ray Suarez it is worth it.

[54anickel]

4. Gotta love this quote. Could become the GOP mantra -

“Mistakes are made. Atrocities happen,” Hagel said Sunday on CNN. “This is one that we cannot overlook. ... Let the investigation follow through.”


So, this is one we cannot overlook, does that mean there are other "mistakes and atrocities" they happily turn a blind eye to? Starting with Shrubs selection and every decision made since then would be my bet.

[drfemoe]

6. It's called Hot Potato

Who's gonna get burned? :grr:
***

Spokespeople for House and Senate GOP and Democratic leaders yesterday declined to comment on the prison abuses.

A House Armed Services Committee aide said the panel will likely not get involved with the mistreatments of Iraqi prisoners this week because the Defense authorization bill is set for markup.
...
The House International Relations Committee has an oversight hearing on Iraq scheduled for Thursday. When asked if the abuses would be discussed, committee spokesman Sam Stratman said, “I’m sure it will.”

On the other side of the Capitol, Senate Foreign Relations Committee spokesman Andy Fisher said his panel currently has no plans to deal with the abuse issues.

***

Help me out. WHAT does the "House International Relations Committee" do?

[54anickel]

8. What does the HIRC do? Well, their member list is pretty telling

http://wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/

[drfemoe]

9. look at that url ..

you have to remove the 'c' after www . but then the browser puts it back in after the page is loaded. Whaz' up with that?

Are these the people we need to be calling?

http://www.house.gov/international_relations/fullmem108.htm

Subcommittee on international terrorism, nonproliferation and human rights

Elton Gallegly (CA), Chairman
Christopher H. Smith, NJ
Dana Rohrabacher, CA
Peter T. King, NY
Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Mark Green, WI
Cass Ballenger, NC
Thomas G. Tancredo, CO
Nick Smith, MI
Mike Pence, IN Brad Sherman, CA
Robert Menendez, NJ
Joseph Crowley, NY
Shelley Berkley, NV
Grace Napolitano, CA
Adam B. Schiff, CA
Diane Watson, CA

http://www.house.gov/international_relations/submem108.htm#international%20terrorism,%20nonproliferation%20and%20human%20rights

Subcommittee on the Middle East and CENTRAL Asia

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL), Chair
Steve Chabot, OH
John M. McHugh, NY
Nick Smith, MI
Jo Ann Davis, VA
Mike Pence, IN
Thaddeus G. McCotter, MI
Roy Blunt, MO
Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Katherine Harris, FL Gary L. Ackerman, NY
Howard L. Berman, CA
Eliot Engel, NY
Joseph Crowley, NY
Joseph M. Hoeffel, PA
Shelley Berkley, NV
Adam B. Schiff, CA

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. Well, let's see.... it's May and neither the SecDef or JCS have

read the report prepared in FEBRUARY?

Damn right, Congress should be involved, and soon.

[Atman]

10. At least now we know why

the US wouldn't sign on to the new war crimes tribunal ruling before the invasion. The had plans.

[Just Me]

11. If the Republican party opposes this, they are f*cked.

So, I am hoping they do the same ole' shit over and over and over again.

GOOOO right-wing pukes!!!!

Alienate everyone with your aggressive, responsibility-avoidant, arrogant and hypocritical crap!!!!

WOOOOO HOOOO!!!

:bounce:

[drfemoe]

13. kick

:kick:

[drfemoe]

14. Lawmakers seek answers on prisoner abuse

Tuesday, May 4, 2004 · Last updated 9:24 a.m. PT
By ROBERT BURNS
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Stunned by the U.S. military's abuse of Iraqi prisoners, lawmakers demanded answers Tuesday to how it happened. One senator said he feared the abuses may be more widespread than first reported.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., emerged from a closed-door briefing of the Senate Armed Services Committee and said he feared that the allegations made public so far are "the beginning rather than the end" of the abuse allegations.
...
The Senate's top Democrat, meanwhile, demanded to know why President Bush was not earlier informed of a report that American soldiers had subjected detainees to blatant and sadistic abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison and why Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers have not yet read the two-month old report.

The Army sent several officials to Capitol Hill after being summoned by the Senate panel. Gen. George Casey, the vice chief of the Army, told reporters after the session that those who are found guilty will be punished appropriately.
...
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apwashington_story.asp?category=1153&slug=US%20Prisoner%20Abuse

[Iceburg]

15. It soon won't matter what the GOP or DEMS think -- the international

community is all over this one. Tremendous fallout to come.

[drfemoe]

16. I would like to think so ..

but what can they DO? We're the SUPERPOWER!! Champions of Freedom!!

What can they do? If our "leaders" don't LEAD the People, our future is dark indeed.

[Just Me]

17. You don't think the only means of "control" or "punishment" is

military, do you?

We are merely one country in a global community.

That global community is capable of crushing us economically, if it chooses to do so.

We will suffer some form of consequence.

[drfemoe]

20. Unfortunately all whoosh* has done is talk about

"punishing" the soldiers. Not a WORD about changing policy or PREVENTION. And he was SHAKEN by the reports. Someone needs to shake him until he comes to his senses (ya I know).
***
"I've been shaken by the reports of abuses to the prisoners in Iraq," Bush said Monday on a campaign bus bringing him to an appearance in Niles, according to a transcript from the White House. "I'm shaken because I know that this doesn't reflect the values of our country."

"I spoke to the Secretary of Defense about that again today. And I said, `I need a full report on whether or not these abuses are widespread, or whether they're contained to a particular unit,'" Bush told reporters for The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press and Booth Newspapers. "And there are ongoing investigations, and he will get those to my desk as quickly as possible."
***
and THIS > does he know what a sociopathic narcissist is? Someone get him a mirror >>
***
"Laura and I spent time with the families of those who have died, and it is a -- it's a hard, but necessary part of the job. I also remind the families that their loved ones have served this country in a noble way, and that we will not forget their sacrifice."
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/world/8584408.htm?1c
{if you hit the link more than once, registration is required}

[Just Me]

19. It appears the global community is using evidence of human rights

abuses as one means of retaliating against us. They are pouncing, with the door having been opened, on the opportunity to rip our reputation to shreds.

[ze_dscherman]

18. FOX poll on the approval of torture

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,81023,00.html

[drfemoe]

21. They're going for it ..

Senate to hold Iraq abuse hearing
Kennedy: 'This does not appear to be an isolated incident'
Tuesday, May 4, 2004 Posted: 2:03 PM EDT (1803 GMT)

CNN) -- Sen. John Warner on Tuesday announced that the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a public hearing "at the first opportunity" to investigate allegations of abuse by the U.S. troops at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

Committee chairman Warner, R-Virginia, said that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld would be called to testify.
...
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said it was an egregious mistake not to inform Congress of the allegations when they first surfaced. He said Rumsfeld had neglected his duty to keep lawmakers informed.

"Not an hour goes by that there isn't an additional allegation. Unfortunately, the Congress, in general, and the Senate Armed Services Committee in particular, has been, up until this morning, been kept completely in the dark," McCain said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/04/iraq.abuse.main/index.html

[maddezmom]

23. updated link: Lawmaker suggests Iraq prisoner abuse more widespread

WASHINGTON (AP) Stunned by the U.S. military's abuse of Iraqi prisoners, lawmakers demanded answers Tuesday to how it happened. One senator said he feared the abuses may be more widespread than first reported.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., emerged from a closed-door briefing of the Senate Armed Services Committee and said he feared that the allegations made public so far are ''the beginning rather than the end'' of the abuse allegations.

''This does not appear to be an isolated incident,'' Kennedy said. There might be other abuses at facilities in Iraq and possibly Afghanistan, he said.

But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told reporters outside the hearing he was ''extremely hopeful that ... this was not a widespread pattern of abuse and that the conduct of the overwhelming majority of Americans is honorable and decent.''

~snip~
more: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/125/wash/Lawmaker_suggests_Iraq_prisone:.shtml

and some great info on the DU link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x529551#530981

[drfemoe]

24. We have to keep on this ..

no more phony "commissions" ..

There isn't enough man-power in DC to track all the crimes and scandals coming down. *National Security* in SHAMBLES. Our LIVES are on the line. If we can't get this taken care of, we are dust.

[maddezmom]

25. kick

[maddezmom]

26. Lawmakers Question Slow Prison Abuse News- both sides

"The Congress ... has been kept completely in the dark," Sen. John McCain. R-Ariz., said as he left a Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) briefing by Pentagon generals.


He faulted Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other Pentagon civilian leaders for not coming to the committee earlier with "an issue of this magnitude."


"The ramifications are so serious and so severe and the implications are so grave that that report should have been forthcoming here immediately," said Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, ranking Democrat on the Armed Services panel.

~snip~

Bush learned of the allegations sometime after the Pentagon began its investigation in late January and first saw the pictures when they became public, White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Tuesday. He said Bush learned of the classified report only after it was reported by the news media.

~snip~

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=718&e=7&u=/ap/20040505/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/prisoners_who_noticed