WP exposes truth about Bush administration

[pberq]

Now the Washington Post is exposing the truth concerning Bush administration cover-ups, lies, and secrecy. As much as this is appreciated, where were they in the run-up to the Iraq war when administration officials were hiding the real reason for the war behind a massive propaganda campaign?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19207-2004May11.html

Protecting the System
Wednesday, May 12, 2004; Page A22

THE BUSH administration still seeks to mislead Congress and the public about the policies that contributed to the criminal abuse of prisoners in Iraq. Yesterday's smoke screen was provided by Stephen A. Cambone, undersecretary of defense for intelligence. Mr. Cambone assured the Senate Armed Services Committee that the administration's policy had always been to strictly observe the Geneva Conventions in Iraq; that all procedures for interrogations in Iraq were sanctioned under the conventions; and that the abuses of detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison were consequently the isolated acts of individuals. These assertions are contradicted by International Red Cross and Army investigators, by U.S. generals overseeing the prisoners, and by Mr. Cambone himself. (More. . .)

Secret World of U.S. Interrogation
Long History of Tactics in Overseas Prisons Is Coming to Light

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15981-2004May10.html?referrer=emailarticle

The Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where a unit of U.S. soldiers abused prisoners, is just the largest and suddenly most notorious in a worldwide constellation of detention centers -- many of them secret and all off-limits to public scrutiny -- that the U.S. military and CIA have operated in the name of counterterrorism or counterinsurgency operations since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. (More. . .)

[calimary]

1. Better late than never.

But MAN are they late. They have a LOT of catching up to do.

[xchrom]

4. amen

[lovedems]

2. This biggest joke is the army is investigating itself

the pentagon is investigating itself and the justice department is investigating the CIA.

I am sure we will have results we can all be confident in. :puke:

So much for getting to the truth of the matter. The only hope is congress and they haven't exactly challenged this administration in the past.

[The Zanti Regent]

3. The Whoreshington Post was too busy with the Clinton Zipper Hunt

Karl Rove ordered them to chase Clinton's Zipper, and like the good Nazis are, they did, much to the damage of the Constitution and Bill of Rights!

[Shadder]

5. When did Bush Know ?

On January 14th it's been confirmed that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld received 2 telephone calls concerning Abu Ghraib.

The first was from Gen. John P. Abizaid.

The second was from Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff places a call to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld informing him of the events described to him - including being told about the photographs - by Gen. John P. Abizaid.

Rumsfeld then called and informed President Bush of the allegations in general terms.

Two days latter on January 16th L. Paul Bremer III, the US governor heading the coalition's provisional authority in Iraq, was also handed a report by Amnesty International which described prisoner abuse and Geneva violations throughout US-run camps in Iraq last July. As a result, President Bush called defense secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld to the White House for briefings on January 16. Donald H. Rumsfeld is said to have told President Bush the extent of the concern over abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. The meeting was attended by White House chief of staff Andrew H Card Jnr.

Then on April 28th President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers say this is the first time they have seen any of the photographs. Notice that they said seen, not heard of.

But wait, it gets better. again, 2 days latter on April 30th During a briefing with the White House press corps, spokesman Scott McClellan thwarts a reporter's attempts to ascertain when the President first learned of the crimes:
REPORTER: How long has the President been aware of the evidence of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib prison?
MCCLELLAN: Well, there were allegations that go back quite some time here, Terry. And that's why you already have the military pursuing some criminal charges against some individuals.
REPORTER: Had the President seen these photographs before two nights ago?
MCCLELLAN: I don't know the exact time when he saw the photographs. I mean, they've certainly been in the media the last couple of days.

Then the real kicker. On May 5th President Bush appears on two Arab television channels to address the scandal but does not apologize for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. troops. "The first time I saw or heard about pictures was on TV," he told the U.S. government sponsored Arabic language network Al-Hurra.