Rumsfeld rejects complaints U.S. interrogation techniques violate Geneva C

[Kadie]

Rumsfeld rejects complaints U.S. interrogation techniques violate Geneva Conventions

Wednesday, May 12, 2004
KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer

05-12) 10:41 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld defended military interrogation techniques in Iraq on Wednesday, rejecting complaints that they violate international rules and may endanger Americans taken prisoner.

Rumsfeld told a Senate committee that Pentagon lawyers had approved methods such as sleep deprivation and dietary changes as well as rules permitting prisoners to be made to assume stress positions.

Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also noted that the rules require prisoners to be treated humanely at all times.

But Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. said some of the approved techniques "go far beyond the Geneva Convention," a reference to international rules governing the treatment of prisoners of war.

more... http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/a/2004/05/12/national1252EDT0585.DTL

[jean]

1. Geneva? Isn't that it Switzerland? Yes. Isn't that "Old Europe?" Yes.

[bif]

2. Just as long as they don't do the same thing to American prisoners.

Right Rummy? That's what you said just a while ago. Or is your fuckin' memory failing you?

[Shadder]

3. How soon they forget

24 March, 2003
The images of five American prisoners of war (POW) being interviewed by their Iraqi captors that were shown on Iraqi TV have sparked furious reactions from American officials. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said that these pictures violate the Geneva Convention's rules for treatment of prisoners of war. 'What they are doing is wrong - showing prisoners of war in a humiliating manner.'

President Bush said "The POWs I expect to be treated humanely, just like we're treating the prisoners that we have captured humanely. If not, the people who mistreat the prisoners will be treated as war criminals." ,

Lieutenant-general John Abizaid, the USA's second highest ranking officer in the Gulf, called the pictures 'disgusting'.

General Richard Myers described the images as 'one more crime of the Iraqi regime'.

[dedhed]

4. Oh, gee, well... if Pentagon lawyers say it's OK...

Art. 31. No physical or moral coercion shall be exercised against protected persons, in particular to obtain information from them or from third parties.

Art. 32. The High Contracting Parties specifically agree that each of them is prohibited from taking any measure of such a character as to cause the physical suffering or extermination of protected persons in their hands. This prohibition applies not only to murder, torture, corporal punishments, mutilation and medical or scientific experiments not necessitated by the medical treatment of a protected person, but also to any other measures of brutality whether applied by civilian or military agents.

Art. 33. No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited.

Source: http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/History/Human_Rights/geneva1.html

:bounce:

[Greylady]

5. Dietary Changes?

What does that mean? I guess the pyramids qualify as stress positions, huh?

[atreides1]

6. Dietary Changes

Means starving a POW/Detainee to force them to answer questions. Food can also be used as a positive also, a POW/Detainee would get a larger
portion or even better food then others.

[Mountainman]

7. He's mad n/t