Gen. Sanchez signed OK for torture

[donsu]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=625909



Green light for Iraqi prison abuse came right from the top

Classified documents show the former US military chief in Iraq personally sanctioned measures banned by the Geneva Conventions. Andrew Buncombe reports from Washington
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America's leading civil liberties group has demanded an investigation into the former US military commander Iraq after a formerly classified memo revealed that he personally sanctioned a series of coercive interrogation techniques outlawed by the Geneva Conventions. The group claims that his directives were directly linked to the sort of abuses that took place at Abu Ghraib.

Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reveal that Lt General Ricardo Sanchez authorised techniques such as the use of dogs to intimidate prisoners, stress positions and disorientation. In the documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, Gen Sanchez admits that some of the techniques would not be tolerated by other countries.

When he appeared last year before a Congressional committee, Gen Sanchez denied authorising such techniques. He has now been accused of perjury.

The ACLU says the documents reveal that the abuse of prisoners in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere was the result of an organised and co-ordinated plan for dealing with prisoners captured during the so-called war on terror that originates at the highest levels of the chain of command. It says that far from being isolated incident, the shocking abuse at Abu Ghraib that was revealed last year was part of a pattern.
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Hey Ricky! the whole world watched you lie on TV

[McCamy Taylor]

1. PERJURY and WAR CRIMES this is big yet who will enforce the law?

This one calls for a Congressional Blitz!

:nuke:

[Jacobin]

2. Sadly, no one in the U.S.

Congresscritters knew all about this and did nothing

[McCamy Taylor]

3. I already wrote to my paper. I am writing postcards to Congress too.

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[johnaries]

4. ACLU and Human Rights First have filed a lawsuit against

Rumsfeld!
http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=17852&c=206

[McCamy Taylor]

5. This is bigger than that- He LIED TO CONGRESS Write SPECTRE

Here is my letter:

Dear Sen Spectre;

As you are aware, newly released documents reveal that General Sanchez did indeed authorize the use of torture against prisoners in Iraq. Gen. Sanchez testified before Congress that he had not authorized the use of these techniques and the Pentagon had sought to prevent the release of documents which would have revealed the truth of the matter.

I find this troubling for a number of reasons. First, the Pentagon and Administration have lead the public to believe that such abuses were instigated by low ranking military men and women and have stood by while these people have been tried and given long prison sentences for doing what they may well have been told by their superiors to do.

More importantly, Gen Sanchez and the Pentagon which helped him cover up his lie, have shown contempt for Congress and the American people, by lying to us. The military is not above the law. If Sanchez is not help accountable for his perjury before Congress how many more people will testify before Congress and think to themselves “I don’t have to tell this truth. This is only Congress”?