Bush Administration Knew Of Abu Ghaib Report

[G_j]

===============================
THE DAILY MIS-LEAD
< http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33095 >
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ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS KNEW OF ABU GHRAIB REPORT

Since late February, the Pentagon has been in possession of a report
produced by Major General Antonio M. Taguba that details the abuse of Iraqis
incarcerated in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison. <1> Months later, despite
knowing of the 53-page report's existence, top administration officials
responsible for the military still have not read the document.

White House officials told the Los Angeles Times that "the abuse of Iraqi
prisoners sparked so much concern that President Bush was told about an
investigation during the winter holidays." <2> But White House Press
Secretary Scott McClellan tried to insulate the President from criticism by
suggesting that the President was surprised by the report's findings.
McClellan told reporters yesterday that Bush "only become aware of the
photographs and the Pentagon's main internal report about the incidents from
news reports last week." <3> Yet President Bush still has not read the
report.

Three weeks before the press reported the story of the Abu Ghraib report,
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard B. Myers knew enough about it
to call Dan Rather and ask him to delay airing the story. <4> Yet, as of
this Tuesday, Myers still hadn't read the report. Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld said yesterday that he had merely "seen a summary."

SOURCES:
1. "Article 15-6 Investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade by Maj.
Gen. Antonio M. Taguba", http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33096.
2. "Accountability at Issue in Abuse of Prisoners", LA Times, 5/5/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33097.
3. "White House and Pentagon Scurry to Draft Responses", New York Times,
5/5/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33098.
4. "CBS delayed airing abuse story for two weeks", AP, 5/3/04,
http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33099.

Visit Misleader.org for more about Bush Administration distortion. -->
< http://daily.misleader.org/ctt.asp?u=1333383&l=33100 >

[Hotdiggitydog]

1. What did the pResident know?

And when did he know it?

[Ironpost]

3. A hell

of a lot more than he lets on... miserable failure

[AlCzervik]

2. Of course they knew

the credibility canyon widens.

[boobooday]

4. I think it is SOOOO much worse than we know . . . YET

I think there is more, and I think it is ugly. And it isn't that "aberrant."

There were women in that prison too. Arab papers are reporting rapes and pregnancies . . . I don't know if this is true, but could it really be possible to offend these people any more?

http://www.wgoeshome.com

[krkaufman]

14. psssssssst..!!!

more? yes. see "Massacre at Mazar" (a.k.a. "Convoy of Death")

[Hotdiggitydog]

19. You got that right.

I see some pretty rough treatment of suspect on the TV show COPS. These police KNOW they are being filmed. I don't object to some very, very firm treatment of suspects when they are putting up resistance, but once restrained or subdued, ALL rough handling must cease immediately. I can only imagine what happens routinely when the police think they are NOT being taped. ...in fact we've seen it a number of times and the abusers generally get no jail sentence or fine.

There is little doubt that a significant number of Iraqis are abused in prison. There has been ZERO oversight or guidance from superiors as to how to humanely treat prisoners. Very shameful for the leadership of the US Soldiers responsible. Heads should roll.....hopefully Dumbsfeld.

[Cocoa]

5. HRW put together a nice timeline

Of all the media reports, and inquiries made to the administration about prisoner
treatment. Torture was policy, not an aberration.


http://www.counterpunch.org/hrw05042004.html

[riverwalker]

6. the entire report here

http://www.antiwar.com/news/?articleid=2479

[Malva Zebrina]

7. such a cynic as myself cannot believe that the question "what did he know

and when did he know it" will be at all effective.

It will not be.

Bush has gotten away with , literally, murder. No one challenges him.

It will be the same with this atrocity also.

His propaganda machine is excellent and brilliant and it works.

What do we have to break it down?

Cannot find one thing, except for the recent Air America, which is really preaching to the choir, although, as a choir member, I do enjoy it, and listen to it all day long.

Aside from that, we reallyh do not have a thing--no one coming out in our defense, NO ONE

That is not encouraging.

[MO_Dem]

8. Maintaining plausible deniability

for when the crap explodes--"aw, us bigshots didn't know nuthin' 'bout it, it was some lowly underlings that kept it from us. If we'd a knowed anything like this was goin' on, we'd a moved mountains to stop it" Don't blame us........yeah, right!

[AlCzervik]

9. I'm sure they'll pull a

"Depends on what you mean by knew". Gen. Myers look likes a huge liar and he's trying to cover up.

[MO_Dem]

13. Yep!

John King just now reported how angry Geedub is--wow! it's taken him quite a long time to get all outraged! Even CBS hinted that his newfound outrage is for the purpose of "distancing" him from it!

[VolcanoJen]

10. I KNEW IT!!!

As soon as the scandal began, we here at DU started calling the "Rotten Apples" story complete bullshit. Days later, and we were right... and our initial implications that Bush knew about the report were correct.

I don't feel particularly good about this, by the way. I'm sure we were all desperately hoping we were wrong. :-(

[G_j]

11. isn't it just amazing that these

jerks still haven't read the report?

..:argh:

[peacetalksforall]

12. In possession of a report - last February....read this

Working backwards and providing estimates

It may have taken three weeks for approvals of the report.
It may have taken an additional three weeks for editing and protecting.
It may have taken three weeks to write it after the facts were in.
It may have taken three weeks to three months to gather facts.

Amnesty International claims they started getting reports of abuse of prisoners in MARCH OF 2003.

So, when did anyone tell Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfkowitz that this report had to be started?

When were the outsourced military and intelligence contractors brought in?

What was in the PNAC plan for the takevoer of Iraq for the handling of prisoners?

[opihimoimoi]

15. In the end, we will find out Bush Knew and Approved of it.

I won't be suprised if he suggested the torture as a means of getting info about the WMD.

[Leilani]

16. That is a really good point!

What info were they trying to get, that they had to use widespread torture.

They were desperate to find WMDs.

[G_j]

18. another thing,

what we keep hearing about are the actions to "soften up" the prisoners for interrogation. So what happened during the actual interrogations?

[G_j]

20. I think so too

"just don't tell me the details"

[readmylips]

17. If bush and criminals knew...it's treason...

If he didn't know...what the fok is he the president for?
Either way, it shines a treanous light on small man bush. But the media pretty boys will give him a pass.

[Bozita]

21. Reading has never gotten anyone in Bushco a merit badge

Too feminine for such action figures.

[knight_of_the_star]

22. This man is going down in FLAMES

I doubt he could beat my DOG in the coming election in November at this point.