US to try 20 more troops for Iraq abuse

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1392087,00.html

The Pentagon plans to put at least 20 more US troops before military courts for abuse of detainees in the wake of last week's high profile trial of the ringleader in the Abu Ghraib scandal, military spokesmen said yesterday.
The various prosecutions of soldiers accused of mistreating and, in some cases, murdering detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo Bay have been in the works for months, but have been largely overshadowed by the trial of the man who became known as the "primary torturer" of the notorious Baghdad prison.

Charles Graner, 36, was led away in leg irons at the weekend after being sentenced to 10 years for sexually humiliating and beating Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib.

But while the Pentagon had hoped that Graner's conviction would demonstrate its determination to impose harsh punishment on troops who abuse detainees, the verdict provoked two very different reactions yesterday.

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[Todd B]

1. Amazing

And BushCo still remain out of shackles - they certainly do care about the troops, eh?

It just makes me made to see * on television smirking while soldiers are dying and being convicted every day (not saying that Graner doesn't deserve it, but * deserves it more).

It's absolutely disgusting to hear that Graner was actually laughing and joking about it coming out of the courtroom though!

[gratuitous]

2. Can you spell w-h-i-t-e-w-a-s-h?

Here's how the military spells it:

"So far, only one of the accused troops is known to be an officer. The rest are enlisted personnel, fuelling criticism that the Pentagon is reluctant to pursue allegations of torture and abuse further up the chain of command."

ONE officer. The Pentagon plans to try 20 persons. One officer. And, sure enough, as many DUers predicted, the photos and footage of Graner being led away in irons while grinning his best Abu Ghraib grin didn't go over very well in Iraq.

THIS is what America looks like to the rest of the world. Thank you very much, Mr. Bush.

[nankerphelge]

3. Does anyone else find this to be the most disturbing...

thing about the whole war? We live in a country that was torturing people.

[NYC]

4. Only one of the accused is an officer.

...So far, only one of the accused troops is known to be an officer. The rest are enlisted personnel, fuelling criticism that the Pentagon is reluctant to pursue allegations of torture and abuse further up the chain of command...

[Ganja Ninja]

5. And no "contractors" or CIA/NSA/FBI/whatever! n/t