Rumsfeld's secret OK led to Abu Ghraib interrogations: report

[carols]

US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved a secret program that encouraged interrogation methods used at Abu Ghraib prison, where Iraqi prisoners were abused, it was reported.

Rumsfeld had approved "a highly secret operation" last year, which "encouraged physical coercion and the sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners in an effort to generate more intelligence about the growing insurgency in Iraq," New Yorker magazine investigative reporter Seymour Hersh wrote, citing current and former intelligence officials.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040515/pl_afp/iraq_us_prisoners&cid=1521&ncid=1480

[Don Claybrook]

1. There's the link we've been waitirng for

Thanks once again, Sy Hersh.

And Rumsfeld, Myers, Cambone: pack your stuff, you're gone.

[Disturbed]

4. Bullet proof

Rumsfeld cannot be fired or impeached. He knows this.
He has stated that he is "reponsible" and yet the Pres.
states publicly that Rumsfeld has done a superb job. Congress will
not dare impeach him. Bushco is a teflon coated NeoFascist Regime.

[LittleApple81]

7. Actually I think this belief on his and Bush*'s part is going to be their

undoing. Bush*'s backing him up BEFORE THIS ARTICLE BY HERSH is going to be a killer.
Now I understand how Hersh's mind works. He is releasing the information but first he lets them hang themselves with their own rope. He is just great.

[wryter2000]

13. You are right on the money

If Bush were to drop Rummy, he'd save face. But he's too stupid and arrogant to do it, so this is one more nail in his coffin. I hate like hell that those poor people in Iraq had to endure the torture, but this may save our country, and ultimately, many more people around the world.

[leftchick]

12. don't forget MG Geoffrey Miller...

he is the one who "Gitmoized" Iraq detention facilities at the request of rummy dum dum!

[Snazzy]

2. New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040524fa_fact

[Don Claybrook]

9. Oh...this is good

Thanks for the link. I'm only about 1/3 through the article, but this is good stuff.

[floda]

3. It's also in the NY times...

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/16/international/middleeast/16ABUS.html

INTERROGATIONS
Rumsfeld and Aide Backed Harsh Tactics, Article Says
By DAVID JOHNSTON

Published: May 16, 2004


ASHINGTON, May 15 — Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and one of his top aides authorized the expansion of a secret program that permitted harsh interrogations of detained members of Al Qaeda to be used against prisoners in Iraq, including detainees at the infamous Abu Ghraib prison, according to an article in The New Yorker Magazine.

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The article, by Seymour M. Hersh, reports that Mr. Rumsfeld and Stephen Cambone, the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, approved the use of the tougher interrogation techniques in Iraq in 2003 in an effort to extract better information from Iraqi prisoners to counter the growing insurgency threat in the country.

Across the Bush administration, officials on Saturday disputed several of the critical details in Mr. Hersh's article. They said that there was no high-level decision or command that they were aware of to use highly coercive interrogation techniques on Iraqi prisoners.

Mr. Rumsfeld, who has apologized for the abuses, has said that the prison abuses were conducted by lower-level military forces without the approval of senior commanders.


more...

[carols]

5. The good thing is that AP wire service exposure guarantees

that it will be read, not just by those of us with access to better news stories, but by Mom and Pop at home in Mayberry. And for once, they didn't soft sell the headline...
Carol

[The Political Eye]

6. Bush: Damaged if it Does, Damaged if He Doesn't

Bush will be left with the options of either firing both Rumsfeld and Meyers, or standing behind both and having to defend the indefensible.

[LittleApple81]

8. There is a link in GD that has a lot of the discussion about

the article...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1606414

[wryter2000]

10. Bingo!

Bless Seymour Hersh!

[ewagner]

11. So this means Rummy and Cambone both

lied to Congress.

But remember Woodward's interview with Dubya in his latest book? Remember that they said Rumsfeld doesn't leave fingerprints...

In other words, find something in writing....from Rummy....just try...and...if they do...it will be backed up by a Presidential finding that approves it but can't be released for national security reasons.........

on edit: I think this thread has some connections to it

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1604919>

[dArKeR]

14. Vote a '5' on this story! - You can see the sickness in Bush's eyes. He

authorized this and what they're doing is called, 'Shield the pResident' or
'Protect the pResident' or 'Fall on your sword'.

[MGKrebs]

15. Oooh. This looks like a big one! n/t

[Az_lefty]

16. No wonder they tried so hard to pin it on "these 6 soldiers"

[NashVegas]

17. Similar Story

It was discussed a few days ago here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=549655

[Moderator]

18. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x557424