Breaking news; Graner gets 10 years, reduced to private...

[Cuban_Liberal]

..dishonorable discharge, loss of all pay. Just heard on the radio.

http://www.wlsam.com

[frogfromthenorth2]

1. Pure scum getting what he deserves...

[Cuban_Liberal]

3. As an veteran, I agree.

I'm apalled that he wore my country's uniform.

:grr:

[frogfromthenorth2]

5. Yeah... but now how do you people get the same thing for the commander in

chief??? He belongs behind bars as well...

[Cuban_Liberal]

9. I agree.

:thumbsup:

[bipolarity1]

22. I think it's safe to say

that's not going to happen, unless our country becomes Disneyland!

[rooboy]

2. Wonder if he'll get a special invite to the inauguration. n/t

[punpirate]

4. It would be appropriate now...

... to go after those who ordered the crimes, as they are equally culpable under law.

[mr_hat]

26. What are you, stupid?

We got the token we need. Move along, eh?

[punpirate]

32. Geez, I must be...

... justice is so "quaint." :)

[rockymountaindem]

6. So if he's going to jail and then being kicked out and

being given a dishonorable discharge, then why bother reducing his rank?

[Solly Mack]

8. So he'll be a private in prison. Sadly, NCO's and even E-4's

can be given "leadership" roles at military prisons. As a private, he'll be without any "real" rank and at the bottom of the heap.

[frogfromthenorth2]

10. Ah...that's why.... thanks...

[rockymountaindem]

13. Oh, that makes sense then.

When I first read it I thought "reduction in rank seems to be the least of his worries right now". Why aren't all prisoners in military prisons on an equal level? Why do we let high-ranking offenders continue to lead low ranking ones?

[Solly Mack]

16. I don't know why they do that exactly.

I'll ask but most likely it's to maintain the the chain of command. Not everyone gets busted down to private, so rank would still be an issue for those serving shorter sentences. Military being anal more than anything, I believe.

[bipolarity1]

23. money

[pinto]

7. Serious crime, serious time. He represented America, unfortunately.

I think it's appropriate.

[Cuban_Liberal]

12. It speaks well for the jury, however...

They're telling what theythink of him, which isn't very highly.

[pinto]

17. Yeah. Seems a clear message..n/t

[Dying Eagle]

11. good

I hope he gets the same treatment in jail. Oh, sweet Carma! What comes around,goes around, asshole.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. He's a thug who deserves his punishment. But what about

those who ordered or condoned what he did? We know this goes all the way to the top. I'm worried that the Bush Reich, having seen to it that the Army punished Graner, will say the whole matter is over, the wrongdoers were dealt with, and now we move on. It's not enough to nail Graner and the other low-level soldiers. It can't stop there, but I expect it will.

[moodforaday]

15. Says he was following orders

According to the BBC Graner says he was following orders:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4177883.stm

[Tinoire]

19. The people who gave the orders were whisked out of Abu-Ghraib

after the FIRST scandal which is rarely talked about in the media but mentioned in Taguba's report.

Seriously, and this in NO way excuses scum like Graner and Lyndie but I always wondered if they weren't "set up", goaded and encouraged to be fall guys for a scandal the government knew would be inevitable.

Before people like Lyndie and Granier were brought in, there was a slew of higher-ranking people 'disappeared' from the place. Most, if I recall correctly, were Intel.

[Cleita]

21. They aren't solely to blame so anyone whose command they

were under should be tried also and if found guilty of knowing about it or ordering this should be doubly punished. That goes all the way up to Rummy and *w.IMO

[SmokingJacket]

29. I'm sure he was following orders.

But when orders are wrong to the point of being disgustingly evil, you shouldn't follow them.

Besides, I doubt he received orders to **brag** about his exploits to friends and family via email. That really turned my stomach.

[sub.theory]

18. Good, but there's still more to punish

Graner deserves every second of that sentence, as do all of the soldiers involved. But, really, the people who deserve the most serious punishments are Bush, Gonzales, Rumsfeld, ect. Let's not let them pretend this is over now. This is just the beginning.

[bipolarity1]

20. exactly!

[Tinoire]

24. Urgh! 'NYT' Obtains 10 Emails, with Photos Sent by Graner

photos Graner sent to friends and family, including his young children.

Urgh. Fry the bastard but get the rest.

'NYT' Obtains 10 Emails, with Photos, Sent by Accused Abu Ghraib Abuser

By E&P Staff

Published: January 14, 2005 10:45 AM ET

(snip)

In one of the graphic messages, titled “just another dull day at work,” Graner wrote, "The guys give me hell for not getting any pictures while I was fighting this guy,"referring to a photograph of a bound and naked detainee howling with pain, his legs bleeding.

Graner, in another message, referred to the “really cool stuff” he got to do at the prison.

(snip)

One message referred to Take Your Children to Work Day with the comment, "how about send a bastard to hell day?" Attached was a photograph of a detainee's head bloodied beyond recognition.

Another photograph showed him stitching a cut over a prisoner’s eye. Graner wrote: "Things may have gotten a bit bad when we were asking him a couple of questions. O well."

Attached to a similar photo in one e-mail was this comment : ”Like I said, sometimes you get to do really cool stuff over here.” Graner sent the same photo to another friend, advising: "Try doing this at home, and they'll lock you up if you don't have some type of license," adding, "Not only was I the healer, I was the hurter. O well life goes on."

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000753452

[JordanTO]

25. When does Mr. Rumsfeld go on trial?

He the Defence Minister, and it's ultimately his responsibility, one would think.

[Sparkly]

27. The question is when he'll get his medal.

Like Bremer, Tenet and Franks.

[Solly Mack]

28. That is more likely to happen

sadly

[JordanTO]

30. He should be on trial at The Hague.

So should Bush, Cheney, Powell and Rice.

[EVDebs]

31. So who provided the dog leashes, head sacks, etc. ...Military Intelligence

but those guys are 'off the hook' so to speak, since they've been granted some kind of immunity (rank ?).