Sanchez says he never saw rules for interrogation

[Spazito]

An obscure Army captain wrote the interrogation rules. The general in charge never saw them, even though his title appears on the document as the officer who must approve especially harsh techniques. Yet somehow the rules wound up on the wall of the interrogation center at Abu Ghraib prison.

Under questioning Wednesday by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites), senior U.S. commanders in Iraq (news - web sites) struggled to explain how "interrogation rules of engagement" that they admitted could violate the Geneva Conventions were distributed - without their knowledge - to guards and intelligence officers at the largest U.S. military prison in Iraq.

snip

Sanchez said the interrogation rules were drafted "at the company commander level." He said he had "no role in preparing or approving it." Yet the briefing slide with the interrogation rules displays the logo of Combined Joint Task Force-7, the U.S.-led coalition force in Iraq that Sanchez commands.

snip

Sanchez also denied approving harsh treatment of one Iraqi inmate at Abu Ghraib, an incident detailed in the Army's investigative report by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, and reported Wednesday in USA TODAY. In that incident, according to a government official who has read most of the Taguba report's 6,000-page classified annex, Sanchez approved the use of sleep deprivation, intimidation by guard dogs and inducing fear to persuade the Iraqi inmate to talk.

more

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/sanchezsaysheneversawrulesforinterrogation

(Excellent article!)

[maddezmom]

1. watched that exchange yesterday

Sanchez was not convincing....he is a LIAR and a bad one at that!!

[TahitiNut]

15. When asked about those Rules ....

... where the Senator held up a copy of the 'slide' (a one-page summary that looked like a printed PowerPoint slide), Sanchez made a general denial of ever having seen them. Later in the hearing, he "clarified" his answer as saying he'd never seen the slide -- thus weasel-wording his testimony, leaving the impression of a blanket denial but protecting himself against charges of perjury. The committee never followed up on his weasel-wording.

That's when I decided that my gut misgivings about the way he was answering were well-founded and that he was deliberately being misleading and evasive.

[RapidCreek]

26. A similar but distinguishable opinion

In my mind saying he never saw, wasn't aware etc. etc. is more damning than just about anything.

These fuckers have defended themselves by purporting their own ignorance and lack of control! They have admitted that a "handful" of enlisted people were RUNNING Abu Gahrib because they admittedly were NOT. So ultimately I guess we have to ask...who was and who was not doing the job they were paid to do. The "handful" were doing their jobs quite energetically it would appear, sans direction. That handful cannot properly do their job, however without direction at least as far as the military has historically maintained. So whose job was it to direct them? Sanchez.

I mean the defense these guys are putting forward is ludicrous. If I were arrested for driving my car over 20 school children crossing the road, could I excuse the deaths of the children by saying "Gee, I had my eyes closed and my hands off the wheel because I had my fingers in my ears"? I'm thinking this wouldn't go over real well in a court of law. Why the hell hasn't this obvious fact been pointed out in these "hearings"?

Indeed these guys are being evasive and misleading....that isn't the point and we shouldn't become entranced by it....I suspect that is what they would like. The point is...they have categorically stated that they weren't doing their jobs....that they were "driving" their troops with their eyes closed, fingers in their ears and hands off the wheel....and they are seeking to use this defense through disingenuous testimony! Fuck it...let them. They are lying their way into a noose around their necks...let's not take them down from the gallows to castigate them for their unscrupulous testimony...Let's say "ok you convinced us, you are guilty of evincing a depraved indifference to human life....NEXT!

RC

[Loonman]

2. He's lying, I saw that, too

Cover-up.

[seemslikeadream]

19. Thanks for shutting up!

[salin]

3. wow...... so nobody involved in Iraq planning or operations

knows anything about how things are being run... are we to really believe that there are no active chains of command for approving policy in the military? That somehow no one is responsible - that some invisible rogue operator transfered/morphed Guantanamo procedures into those being used (it would appear indiscriminately) in Iraq? If true... is this supposed to make us (the public) feel *better* about how things are going in Iraq?

[gratuitous]

4. Sergeant Schulz, meet General Sanchez

I know nothing! Nothinnnnng!

[Spazito]

5. My question is: How did an obscure Army captain get...

the official logo of Joint Task Force 7?

"Yet the briefing slide with the interrogation rules displays the logo of Combined Joint Task Force-7, the U.S.-led coalition force in Iraq that Sanchez commands."

[phasev]

24. he went to the local Kinkos of course

[Just Me]

6. Yeah,...I observed blanket denials.

Miller said that he never used the words "Gitmoize". Of course, that doesn't mean it was not his intention to "Gitmoize" the prisons in Iraq.

Bottom line,...it was these guys freakin' BUSINESS to know what was happening. Pleading "ignorance" is simply NOT an excuse.

[Eloriel]

23. Well, at least it's not the Nuremburg defense n/t

[Solly Mack]

7. Gee..shouldn't we fire such incompetent leadership?

perhaps it's time to yank the commissions of those who don't know what's happening..who can't explain what happened...and who don't appear to be informed.

[saigon68]

18. THE 3 BLIND MICE

THEY SEE THEY KNOW---NOTHING???






From left, Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, commander on the ground in Iraq (news - web sites), Gen. John Abizaid, head of U.S. Central Command and Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, deputy commander of prison operations in Iraq, are sworn in to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) on Capitol Hill about Iraqi prisoner abuse, May 19, 2004. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

[RedEarth]

8. Sounds like a bunch of lying liars........

[saigon68]

16. THEY ARE "FAIR AND BALANCED" IN THEIR LYING

THEY'LL LIE TO ANYONE ABOUT ANYTHING

[0007]

27. ....and if they can't find anything or anyone to lie about, well..

they'll make up a lie.

[writekid]

9. Do we really need rules?

where is the moral conscience that dubya supposedly embodies? you know, the one that we all share in this country. the one that made him so popular as the man of integrity?

since when does anyone need a rule book to know that it's not okay to strip people, chain them together, and stick brooms up their butts?

[Just Me]

22. Yes, of course,...the "rule of law" shapes the character of any country.

But,...common decency dictates that these abuses were wrong. Common decency and human integrity would preclude such atrocities. But, when you have a leadership that manipulates peoples' fears and anger,...this is the kind of creepy insanity which is produced.

Welcome to DU, "writekid"!!! :hi:

[UpInArms]

10. sounds like they are being coached by Skilling's and Lay's

attorneys.

No one is responsible!

Don't believe your lying eyes!

I did not have relations with that paper with my signature on it!

[gasperc]

11. Rules, we don't need no stinking rules!

whoa, you just stepped in a pile of shit

it happens.

[w4rma]

12. Sanchez is playing CYA at the expense of our efforts in Iraq, imho. (nt)

[keithyboy]

13. How do these people come to be in charge?

What on earth do we use to qualify people for leadership roles?

[atreides1]

17. Hand Picked....

...for their loyalty to BushCo, and have no concern for the troops under their command.

When I went to PLDC, one of the important things that they taught us was to be responsible for your actions. In other words, if you screw up, face the music.

The 3 Stooges on display yesterday have no integrity, no honor, and have decided to point the finger at some captain, to be determined later, as the one responsible for their policies.

When have Abizaid or Sanchez ever made a comment about the lack of body armor, ammunition, and other supplies and equipment that the troops lack.

These men are not leaders, they are children who like wearing uniforms with pretty ribbons.

[seemslikeadream]

14. cleaned it up for their visit

The concentration camp outside of Munich the red cross had come to dachau and gave it great marks, even going so far as to state that "all prison camps should be as good as dachau." Of course, they never saw the crematorium, or any of the horrible, horrible stuff that went on there because the Nazi's cleaned it up for their visit.

[jpgray]

20. Company commanders decide interrogation policy? Give me a break

:crazy:

[livinginphotographs]

21. Are we surpised?

Their boss can't seem to take responsibility for anything, so why should they?

"The buck stops.....over there....and over there....but not here. Definitely not here."

[leesa]

25. Ahhh...the old GOP "I didn't read the report" defense

It's good enough for most GOPers.