Gen Sanchez Accused of PERJURY before CONGRESS About IRAQ TORTURE

[McCamy Taylor]

Sorry for the thread duplication, but this actually a diiferent slant on the same story. The ACLU is filing suit about Human Rights abuses which Sanchez, Rumsfeld and others are accused of overseeing. However, a potentially even more grave crime is the one which Sanchez committed in his testimony before Congress, namely PERJURY.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=625909

"In the September 2003 memo, Gen Sanchez authorised the use of 29 techniques for interrogating prisoners being held by the US. These included stress positions, "yelling, loud music and light control" as well as the use of muzzled military dogs in order to "exploit Arab fear of dogs". Some of the most notorious photographs to emerge from the Abu Ghraib scandal showed hand-cuffed, naked Iraqi prisoners cowering from snarling dogs."

<later>

"When he appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee in May 2004, Gen Sanchez flatly refused approving such techniques in Iraq, and said that a news article reporting otherwise was false. "I never approved any of those measures to be used ... at any time in the last year," he said under oath. The ACLU accuses him of committing perjury and has asked the Attorney General to investigate. In a letter to Alberto Gonzales, the group said: "Gen Sanchez's testimony, given under oath before the Senate Armed Services committee, is utterly inconsistent with the written record, and deserves serious investigation. This clear breach of the public's trust is also further proof that the American people deserve the appointment of an independent special counsel by the Attorney General'"

Congress does not usually take being lied to lightly, even when those doing the lying are allied to people of the same party. Sen. Artlen Spectre head of the Senate Judiciary Committe is a relatively independent Republican. I strongly urge everyone to write to him and to all members of the House and Senate Judiciary Commitees and to their own Congress members and to their local newspapers demanding that Gen Sanchez be called to account for the lies which he told to Congress.

No on is above the law, and if he is allowed to get away with perjury before Congress then what use is sworn testimony?

[McCamy Taylor]

1. KNowing the WH, the document was probably released now because of the Pope

being near death and they figured they would get a media smoke screen from this and from Schiavio. Rove and Co. had to have known all along that this story was coming down the pipeline and that it could be a problem.

Anyway, dont let it get buried. Here is my letter to Spectre:

Dear Sen Spectre;

As you are aware, newly released documents reveal that General Sanchez did indeed authorize the use of torture against prisoners in Iraq. Gen. Sanchez testified before Congress that he had not authorized the use of these techniques and the Pentagon had sought to prevent the release of documents which would have revealed the truth of the matter.

I find this troubling for a number of reasons. First, the Pentagon and Administration have lead the public to believe that such abuses were instigated by low ranking military men and women and have stood by while these people have been tried and given long prison sentences for doing what they may well have been told by their superiors to do.

More importantly, Gen Sanchez and the Pentagon which helped him cover up his lie, have shown contempt for Congress and the American people, by lying to us. The military is not above the law. If Sanchez is not help accountable for his perjury before Congress how many more people will testify before Congress and think to themselves “I don’t have to tell this truth. This is only Congress”?

[donsu]

2. (the more the merrier )- let's not let Ricky get away with lies & torture

nt

[Dr.Phool]

3. And are we to expect Gonzales

Who wrote memo's justifying torture, to really pursue this?

Yeah, right. Just like they've pursued every other bit of corruption in this regime. Anybody remember Valerie Plame?

If he does appoint a special investigator or prosecutor, It will be someone to cover it up, and make sure nothing happens.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. Thats why we have to light a fire under Congress now.

I think that Spectre is one Senator who is not going to be amused that Congress was lied to and is now going to be expected by the administration to "suck it up" in the name of party unity. Especially if he can show that he has enough letters to indicate public support for action on this issue.

In addition to the letter to Spectre I have written postcards to Sessenbrenner, Conyers and Leahy with "Gen. Sanchez lied to Congress" in big letters followed by smaller text about the torture and perjury. I strongly suggest that everyone flood Congress. This is Congress's power and honor at stake here. Is the administration now going to be able to waltz in and lie at whim?

:nuke:

[thecai]

5. And Keep The Flame Burning

We cannot "allow" these criminal acts to be swept under the oval rug.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. Yes, this is the sharpest irony of the situation - Gonzales!

Get Sanchez, get all he lying, torturing criminals and hope for the miracle of a fair trial. They deserve prison time. Even then, it would be a gaggingl experience to watch the blivet** piously declaim on his oh-so-great sorrow that these lawless people did these things without his knowledge or permission.

Edited to add: recommended. We have to at least try. Even if the bastards protect each other from justice, the truth has to be shouted and spread however we can do it.

[imenja]

6. I think we all know they commit perjury all the time

the Gonzalez nominated hearings were one clear example. The problem is congress or the justice department needs to do something about prosecuting that perjury. I remember seeing Ashcroft himself lie before the 9/11 committee. Nothing happened to him.

[laylah]

7. The sad thing is

not a freaking thing will come of this! I have gotten to the point I rarely read about such happenings because I know nobody will be held accountable. That is, nobody associated with this facist regime!

I feel so helpless and I know I am not alone.

Jenn