A few weeks back, before the midterm elections, you may recall watching the president during one of his press conferences coming as close to a bona fide mea culpa, with respect to Iraq and the backlash by members of his own party, pointing to his chest while saying "the buck stops here."
Well, one can only hope that Mr. Bush feels this way after hearing today's report that former U.S. Army Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, in an interview with the Spanish newspaper, El Pais, says that ousted Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld approved, at Abu Ghraib, the use of techniques, on detainees, that are in flagrant violation of the Geneva Conventions.
The general, who ran the Abu Ghraib operation until early 2004, said that she personally saw a memo hand-signed by Rumsfeld containing the words, "Make sure this is accomplished." Ostensibly, "this" refers to authorizing civilian contractors to employ such techniques as "sleep deprivation, standing for long periods of time, playing music at full volume" all in defiance of what Geneva proscribes as physical and mental forms of coercion. She added, further, that Rumsfeld violated international covenants on fair and humane treatment of prisoners by not requiring that all prisoners register: "We received a message from the Pentagon, from the Defense Secretary, ordering us to hold the prisoner without registering him. I now know this happened on various occasions." (Reuters)
Now why, do you suppose, would it be advantageous for so-called "enemy combatants" not to be registered? In some countries, the prisoner would then be considered "disappeared" as happened to many in Pinochet's day, and happens throughout Central America today. Also, the detainee can't challenge his detention if there is no record that he's being detained; his family, and loved ones, can't seek remedy in the court, by way of due process and habeas corpus, if there is no record that he's even being held. Moreover, should the unthinkable happen, and the inmate die in American military custody, no one can be held criminally liable for the murder of someone who was never acknowledged to be in custody.
General Karpinski has also announced, last week, that she is prepared to testify against the outgoing secretary of defense in the event that the Center for Constitutional Rights war crimes suit against him, as well as Attorney General Alberto Gonzales proceeds. She will also participate in a full-fledged investigation, by Congress, into these allegations, should we be fortunate enough, in this country, to see such an event occur in our lifetimes.
While we have seen high profile dog and pony select criminal prosecutions of members of our armed forces for travesties at Abu Ghraib, and elsewhere in Iraq, this is the first time a major figure in the armed forces has come forward to suggest that it's time to hold those higher, and highest, in command accountable. If the Karpinski allegations turn out to be accurate, we must insist that the president honor the statement he made at that pre-election press conference. If the buck stops with him, as commander-in-chief of the military, he must step down.
http://ladyjaynestahl.blogspot.com
Widely published, poet, playwright, essayist, and screenwriter; member of PEN American Center, and PEN USA. Jayne Lyn Stahl is a Huffington Post blogger.
Former Brigadier General Janet Karpinski, the commander of the United States Army Military Police detachment at Abu Gharib during the first phase of the Iraqi War has been cashiered from the Army for misconduct in the treatment of prisoners held there as a result of hostilities.
There are questions concerning General Karpinski's credibility including, 1. the lengthy time that has transpired between the incidents and her denunciation of Rumsfeld; 2. the negotiations between her and the Army regarding her status; 3. the obvious incentive she has for shifting the blame for misfeasance at Abu Gharib from herself to Secretaty Rumsfeld.
Yet with all of these caveats and questions two respectable and credible European organs have given General Karpinski the opportunity to present her story and the facts supporting it.
It is a shame that this officer, who devoted her career to the service of this country and rose to rank of General has not been given similar respect here.
Robert Chapman
Lansing, NY
by
Robert Chapman (28 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 556 comments)
on Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 1:41:55 PM
Amen. Heartfelt thanks for calling people's attention to the dignified treatment former Army Brigadier General Karpinski receives, even from those who doubt her, in Europe when compared with the treatment she receives in the States. One might also consider how those in the U.K. call upon members of their press to cover accusations of torture against Rumsfeld while folks in America are content to sit back and watch subtitles on CNN. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark, and it's not being sold at the Fulton Fish Market.
Bottom line: however one tries to discount, or diminish Karpinski, and the reasons she's come forward now, she does have a tangible piece of evidence, a memo, which can't be discounted. How hard we, in this country, try to massage mendacity in the wayward belief that will we somehow arrive at truth but, unremarkably, that never happens. No amount of massaging could get Richard Nixon off the hook for the Watergate debacle. No amount of massaging could negate the Iran-Contra affair, another impeachable offense. And, no amount of tweaking can get this administration off the hook for its grave, and egregious violations of international rules of fair conduct during wartime, as well as human rights abuse.
by
Jayne Lyn Stahl (183 articles, 1 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 67 comments)
on Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 1:55:00 PM
Thank you for this article. The elections, the downward spiral of the polls in the US and the hellish situation in which we find ourselves in Iraq have created the "right" time for General Karpinski to step forward.
Now that the committee chairs have changed in Congress, look for Karpinski to testify time and again while a number of others come forward with even more damning evidence. All the wishful thinking in the world is not going change the intensity of the hell the Democrats are preparing for this most corrupt administration since the Grant regime after the Civil War.
OBHG,
Phil
by
pratliff94 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 962 comments)
on Sunday, November 26, 2006 at 11:16:19 PM
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