Abu Ghraib blame extends to top Pentagon officials

[giant_robot]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon's most senior civilian and military officials share a portion of blame for creating conditions that led to the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq, according to a report released Tuesday by an independent panel of civilian defense experts.

The findings were presented at a Pentagon news conference by James Schlesinger, the former secretary of defense who headed a four-person commission created last May by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

"There was chaos at Abu Ghraib," Schlesinger said, and "sadism on the night shift." The report said the direct responsibility lay with commanders in the field rather than in Washington. Pentagon leaders, however, had an indirect role.

The mistreatment of prisoners, described by the commission as "acts of brutality and purposeless sadism," would have been avoided with proper training, leadership and oversight, it said.

<snip>

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/08/24/abughraib.report.ap/index.html

on edit: link

[asjr]

1. IffI heard correctly though, Rumsfeld received no blame.

[tlmorris]

2. Read the www.msnbc.com version

CNN says the "Pentagon's most senior civilian"...MSNBC says Rumsfeld.

[swag]

5. Oregonian HL: "Report Blames Rumsfeld, top brass in prisoner abuse"

Also says "Pentagon's most senior civilian" rather than "civilians."

[0007]

3. I don't believe that for one second

This is a well organized operation going all the way up to junior. Had to find those WMD to get junior off the hook.

[yellowcanine]

4. Not quite - "Pentagon leaders, however, had an indirect role."

I believe Secretary Donald Rumsfield can correctly be described as a Pentagon leader. Question is, what does "indirect role" mean? To me, it is the equivalent of the NCAA saying a university "failed to exercise institutional control" over a wayward athletic program. In the NCAA at least - this infraction brings some of the harshest penalties. We shall see what it means here.

[giant_robot]

6. I'd love to see Rummy go down for this...

...but I know deep down that it'll be pinned on a scapegoat and Rummy will skate.

[BootinUp]

7. Read the NYTimes version

But the report did not single out Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld for blame. Mr. Schlesinger, himself a former defense secretary, said, when asked if Mr. Rumsfeld or other high-ranking officials should resign, that "his resignation would be a boon for all of America's enemies."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/24/politics/24CND-ABUS.html?hp

[0007]

8. Oh man, this is gonna explode big time.

Read this one.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5807013/

[realFedUp]

9. his resignation would be a boon.....

I'm thinking a beheading's too good for him.

[Moderator]

10. Duplicate

add this article if it has new information

Here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=772471