WP Editorial: A Failure of Accountability

[kskiska]

ONLY A FEW years ago, it seemed the slightest suggestion of malfea- sance by a presidential administration -- allegations of tampering with a minor administrative office, say, or indications that a cabinet secretary might have understated the amount of money given to a former girlfriend -- could trigger a formidable response from the other two branches of government: grand juries, special prosecutors, endless congressional hearings, even impeachment proceedings. Some of that auditing, especially during the Clinton administration, went too far. Yet now the country faces a frightening inversion of the problem. Though there is strong evidence of faulty and even criminal behavior by senior military commanders and members of President Bush's cabinet in the handling of foreign detainees, neither Congress nor the justice system is taking adequate steps to hold those officials accountable.

Investigations by the Army, including one completed last week, could result in prosecution or disciplinary action for up to 50 persons involved in the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. But almost all are low-ranking soldiers; the most senior officer to be targeted is a female reserve brigadier general, who plausibly argues she has been scapegoated by higher-ranking officers. The military investigations and a separate probe by a panel picked by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld have issued reports making it clear that senior commanders in Iraq and the civilian leadership at the Pentagon also bear specific responsibility for an affair that has gravely damaged the U.S. mission in Iraq and American prestige around the world. But no court, prosecutor or disciplinary panel is even considering action against these top officials. Only one more congressional hearing, by the Senate Armed Services Committee, is planned.

What's particularly troubling about this breakdown of checks and balances is that some of the most disturbing behavior by senior officials has yet to be thoroughly investigated. For example, Mr. Rumsfeld is now known to have approved, in December 2002, the use of dogs to frighten detainees under interrogation. That technique, which was immediately adopted in Afghanistan and later in Iraq, was described by Army Maj. Gen. George R. Fay as "a clear violation of applicable laws and regulations." Mr. Rumsfeld has also publicly acknowledged that he ordered that some prisoners in Iraq not be registered with the International Red Cross, an unambiguous violation of Army regulations and the Geneva Conventions. Yet Mr. Rumsfeld has never been called upon to explain these actions to legal investigators or to Congress.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42711-2004Aug28.html

[aquart]

1. My word.

[wolfgirl]

2. kick...share this with all your friends and/or enemies

[Kagemusha]

3. They know the UN gave them a pass. So why even bother.

They'll never see a day in jail anyway. Pardons will see to that if need be.

[TaleWgnDg]

4. no, I take issue w/ the journalism news media . . .

such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, etc., for not doing their journalistic duty in investigatory reporting. Yes, the indicia of wrongdoing has been available about this GWBush Administration and its lackeys since day one! Where was journalism?

I question why the hell the Washington Post is passing the buck, if you will, in this editorial piece?!!

===========================================
"I'm the commander, I do not need to explain
why I say things. That's the interesting thing
about being the President. Maybe somebody needs
to explain to me why they say something, but I
don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation ..."
— GWBush, asserting what seems to be a messianic complex.
http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=1680...
============================================

[reprehensor]

5. bump

[ixion]

6. where was this outrage before the invasion of Iraq?

BushCo has been held unaccountable for virtually everything, including the largest security break in US history, and yet somehow, there are no grand juries being convened.

What's up with that?

[Martin Eden]

7. There is an enormous difference ...

... between the Bushies saying they "accept" responsibility, and actually being held accountable for their actions.

Being held accountable involves paying a price for failures of leadership and illegal actions. They aren't even paying much of a political price, because so many of their outrages are simply unknown to or unrecognized by the public.

They need to keep attention focused on attacks against Kerry, because if their own record was fully exposed to the light of day they would be run out of town on a rail.