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The investigation was a whitewash. Admiral Harris signed off on his assessment on September, 6, 2006, less than 90 days after the deaths. NCIS looked no further. "This investigation was far from 'years-long;' indeed, it can barely be described as 'months-long.' " Its brevity weakens DOD's claim of thoroughness, and questions the overall investigatory seriousness.
Disturbingly, suicides were announced before autopsies occurred, and Admiral Harris claimed "(t)hey hung themselves with fabricated nooses made out of clothes and bed sheets," contradicting the same day press releases saying the manner of death was under investigation.
While not a formal DOD response, Colonel Bumgarner told AP:
"This blatant misrepresentation of the truth infuriates me. I don't know who Sgt. Hickman is, but he is only trying to be a spotlight ranger. He knows nothing about what transpired in Camp 1, or our medical facility. I do, I was there."
Apparently, he never got a clearance, as he said nothing further. Yet this statement alone questions NCIS's credibility. CP&R's report said he knew what went on because he was there. Yet his sworn statement to NCIS investigators said he spent the evening with Admiral Harris. At 00:48 June 10, the DOC called him after he returned home, and he immediately drove to the DET Clinic, following the ambulance into the Camp. Before leaving, however, he called Admiral Harris, telling him a suicide attempt occurred. The other deaths were then confirmed. He didn't know how, but noticed indentations on two detainees' necks. At 1:17AM, he reported the deaths, over 30 minutes before it was official at 1:50AM.
Final Comments
For years, Republican and Democrat administrations eroded constitutional freedoms and the rule of law, using the courts for hardline enforcement, especially since the 1996 Antiterrorism and Effect Death Penalty Act. It eased surveillance restrictions, included draconian death penalty and habeas-stripping provisions, and smoothed passage of the 2001 Patriot Act and other repressive measures, including authorizing torture as official US policy.
The Bush administration issued a blizzard of Executive Orders, National and Homeland Security Presidential Directives, memos, memoranda, findings, and other official documents authorizing secret detentions, extraordinary renditions, assassinations, military commissions, and torture, even though these practices are prohibited under US and international laws.
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