LTTE: Mr. Rumsfeld's Responsibility

[Southpaw Bookworm]

Hitting the nail squarely on the head:

The extraordinary power of the images of the abuse of Iraqi detainees should not prevent us from questioning Donald H. Rumsfeld's preposterous claim that words have no power. In his testimony before the Senate, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said that, though he knew about the abuse, he did not really know about it until he saw photographs: "It is the photographs that gives one the vivid realization of what actually took place. Words don't do it."

What is not clear about the words in Army Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba's report <"Probes of Detainee Deaths Reported," front page, May 5>: "sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses" or sodomizing a detainee with a chemical light?

H. PERRY CHAPMAN
Garrett Park

Although Donald Rumsfeld apologized for the abuses of Iraqi prisoners at televised congressional hearings Friday <"Rumsfeld Takes Responsibility for Abuse," front page, May 8>, he appeared to be more embarrassed about the publication of the photos on "my watch" than the actual abuse of detainees.

Asked why he did not inform President Bush about their existence sooner, Mr. Rumsfeld responded that he hadn't seen the photos himself until the night before. He also said, "I wish I knew how you reach down into a criminal investigation when it is not just a criminal investigation, but it turns out to be something that is radioactive."

That leaves me with the impression that Mr. Rumsfeld judged that the problem could have been managed if the photos did not exist.

JOSEPH FORD
Frederick


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19211-2004May11.html