What has happened about this?

[UKProPeace]

I was thinking a little earlier about the news a few years back about those photos of rape and torture of Iraqis, which US sentaors were privy to viewing in a secure briefing room....I haven't heard about anyone being punished for these depraved acts yet. Are these sick criminals still being allowed to run around Iraq perhaps continuing with their disgraceful behaviour?

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/13/1084289818093.html

"Of the more than 1800 images seized by army investigators, many, according to the Pentagon, are private photographs taken by the military personnel.

Some are innocuous while others show pornographic acts between soldiers including some between Private Lynndie England, who has already been charged, and a partner. But there were also photos showing the sexual abuse of prisoners.

Leading Republican senators backed the Pentagon's call not to release the new photographs and videotape for fear it would incite further violence against Americans in Iraq, especially in light of the brutal beheading of US citizen Nicholas Berg."

Also, what kind of sickos actually film or take pictures of the rape, murder and torture of their victims?

Justice, anyone?

[Solly Mack]

1. government keeps hoping people will forget the evidence

and those pictures ARE evidence, even exist...

they want folks to believe that what was already released constitutes everything to be released and that all the guilty have already been punished

as far as the US government is concerned, it's a done deal...

[UKProPeace]

2. Why aren't the Dems shouting about this?

I can see what you're saying.....How can the Dems allow themselves to being party to helping to cover up these crimes?

They should be holding those repsonsible to account over this.

[Solly Mack]

3. The 109th Congress passed the MCA of 2006 which effectively

gave immunity for the rape and torture in those pictures and videos that are still unreleased


That's how....

Every now and then someone says the word "torture" in Congress but the MCA of 2006 makes it just a word...

[UKProPeace]

4. They gave them immunity?

Has anyone got a link to how everyone voted on that?

[UKProPeace]

5. OK just found the voting records

In the House:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2006-491

34 Dems voted in favour of this, 7 Repubs Voted against

In the Senate:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2006-259

11 Dems voted in favour, 1 Repub voted against.

This seems to be the crux of the matter, those who are willing to pass such an act are enabling the crimes committed. Those who voted in favour very clearly knew about the depraved, disgraceful crimes committed, but they were willing to overlook those crimes.

[Solly Mack]

7. Glad you found it - was looking.

I've got no use for anyone voting Yes on that criminal legislation

[Solly Mack]

6. effectively gave...by changing the War Crimes Act of 1996

and redefining what torture means, by allowing Bush to be the sole "decider" in how Article 3 of the Geneva Convention applies and is defined...by stripping Habeas Corpus

the vote is here - http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll508.xml

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00259
MCA 2006

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/detention/27091prs20061017.html


http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/26861leg20060925.html

[UKProPeace]

8. Thanks for the replies Solly

Good to see your input here as well.

[Solly Mack]

9. Not a problem. My journal is filled w/ this topic...because I can't "get over it"

I'll never get over it.

I have nightmares about it

[kenny blankenship]

10. one was a civilian prison guard, another worked in a chicken "processing" plant

there's a common denominator lurking.

[UKProPeace]

12. Contractors seem to be regularly involved in crimes don't they eom

[kenny blankenship]

14. the two perps I was thinking of were Army Reserve MPs:

Charles Graner and Lynndie England. The thing that struck me as about their backgrounds was that both had worked in dehumanizing industrial environments where large numbers of living things were treated...very badly...as an essential function of those environments (prison, chicken plant) and treating living things badly was a normal part of doing the job there. I'm not saying Graner and England are entitled to an excuse for their conduct, but it seems likely that what they've seen of life and work, even prior to going to Iraq, has messed them up. And it's just very unfortunate that we chose to unleash these malformed by-products of American industry on the Iraqi people. Some kind of psych screening, I guess, should've been able to discover whether they were suited to Military Police work, but apparently they didn't undergo any such test. But then again I'm also afraid that the tendencies that could make them do what they did, might actually appear desirable to the Army, rather than disqualify them for guard duty.

[tekisui]

11. I contacted my Reps..

I asked if they had seen the pics and videos, then how they can not do something about it. Sy Hersch has written about it. Disgusting stuff. Just look the other way.
These stories should lead eveyday and have entire evenings devoted to them on regular tv.

[UKProPeace]

13. Hi tekisui, good for you...

I contacted my own MP here to raise my own concerns about the overall torture, abuse, rape scandals, and the overall Iraq disaster. I received a standard response back...I agree these issues should be headlines every day.

[Javaman]

15. Gone with the wind. nt

[Solly Mack]

16. More recommends wouldn't hurt anything

this is important