Died hanging from wrists and gagged, with over 25 rib fractures

[kpete]

Died hanging from wrists and gagged, with over 25 rib fractures
by bewert
Sat Apr 12, 2008 at 03:05:50 PM PDT

This is my first of a series of diaries about prisoners murdered by US forces. It will tell the story of an Iraqi man who died hanging by his cuffed wrists from a door frame, gagged, and beaten to death by his US interrogators. As the Final Autopsy Report noted:

The remains are received clad in a white shirt, white pajama type pants, and white
undershorts. Feces covers the clothing from the waist down....There is gauze dressing on the left wrist. No other evidence of medical intervention is noted.... The right chest wall has fractures of ribs three through seven anteriorly and ribs six through twelve posteriorly. The left chest wall has fractures of ribs two through nine anteriorly and ribs seven through twelve posteriorly. There are fractures of the lateral aspect of ribs nine and ten on the left side. There is a horizontal fracture through the mid-portion of the body of the sternum."

Yes, our tax dollars are paying for this. Hung up by the wrists and beaten so badly that he not only had over 25 separate rib fractures, many slicing into his lungs, he also had a fractured sternum. The thick, solid bone protecting your heart.

From the Final Autopsy Report:

Circumstances of Death: Iraqi detainee died while in U.S. custody.

Authorization for Autopsy: Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner, lAW 10 USC 1471

Identification: Identification by accompanying paperwork and wristband, both of which include his name and a detainee number, 3ACR1582

CAUSE OF DEATH: Blunt Force. Injuries and Asphyxia

MANNER OF DEATH: Homicide

FINAL AUTOPSY DIAGNOSES:
I. Multiple Blunt Force Injuries
A. Cutaneous abrasions and contusions of the scalp, torso, and extremities
B. Deep contusions of the chest wall musculature and abdominal wall
C. Multiple, bilateral, displaced and comminuted rib fractures, with lacerations of the pleura.
D. Bilateral lung contusions
E. Bilateral hemothoraces
F. Hemorrhage into the mesentery of the small and large bowel
G. Hemorrhage into the left sternohyoid muscle with associated fractures of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone

II. History of Asphyxia, Secondary to Occlusion of the Oral Airway

III. Pleural and Pulmonary Adhesions

IV. Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease
A. Hypertrophy of the left ventricle of the heart (2.0-centimeters)
B. Cardiomegaly (450-grams)

V. Enlarged, Nodular Prostate Gland

VI. Toxicology is negative for ethanol, drugs of abuse, select therapeutic
medications, and cyanide


OPINION

This 47-year-old White male, , died of blunt force injuries and asphyxia. The autopsy disclosed multiple blunt force injuries,including deep contusions of the chest wall, numerous displaced rib fractures, lung contusions, and hemorrhage into the mesentery of the small and large intestine. An examination of the neck structures revealed hemorrhage into the strap muscles and fractures of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone. According to the investigative report provided by U.S. Army CID, the decedent was shackled to the top of a doorframe with a gag in his mouth at the time he lost consciousness and became pulseless.

The severe blunt force injuries, the hanging position, and the obstruction of the oral cavity with a gag contributed to this individual's death. The manner of death is homicide.


................................



much more at:
http://action.aclu.org/torturefoia/released/102405/3235.pdf

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/12/151937/351/893/494404

[BlooInBloo]

1. Nothing like a little frat boy hazing in my name.

[dawgman]

98. I have to say...I was a frat boy

and the most we did was clean and pound beers....

[BlooInBloo]

125. Jesus - does everything have to be laid out to Americans?

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Abu_Ghraib:_Fraternity_'Hazing'%2C_a.k.a._'Not_as_Bad_as_Saddam'

[RedCappedBandit]

109. Funny, i'm in a fraternity and i find this appalling

[LeftHander]

137. Yes...not torture...no organ failure......so not torture...nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Makes ya proud to be a 'Murikan, eh?

:cry:

[unkachuck]

39. sure....

God Bless America
Author:
Irving Berlin, 1918; revised 1938
Spoken Introduction:
While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America, land that I love
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with the light from above
From the mountains To the prairies,
To the ocean white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

[midnight]

3. Stop this. Bring our troops home. Was there a time when

some here at D.U. thought this war was justified and have now changed there minds?

[truedelphi]

12. I think one reason that we had this war was to harden the soldiers to do whatever the crooks at the

very top want done. I am not sure I want such hardened people running around in my neighborhood.

There was actually a sentence or two about the dilemna that the CIA faced a few years ago - how to get Americans in the military to turn agaisnt the citizenry. This was listed on the CIA's official website.

[MetaTrope]

15. You've already got Homeland Security guards patrolling Amtrak stations with submachine guns

What's going to happen the first time one of them cuts loose in a crowded train station at 900 rounds/minute?

[Oldtimeralso]

46. These Homeland Security guards are now stopping people in

public access areas ie restaurant, newsstand and other public areas asking to see their tickets and ID's. "Can I see our papers"

[truedelphi]

57. Every coupleof months the cops and Homeland security people would have these

Random sweeps in the bus terminals and the Bartt subway system,.

I forget the excuse that was put out, looking for folks with unregistered guns or something.

But it was only people carrying small amounts of marijuana that ended up getting busted.

[truedelphi]

56. Those are the kind of jobs that you are qualified after

Doing a tour or two in a war zone.

[defendandprotect]

101. I didn't know that . . . !!!!

[Flying Dream Blues]

99. I had never thought of it that way...that's a scary thought. nt

[defendandprotect]

102. Yes . . . and perhaps that was what the torture films were about, in part . . .

to train other soldiers in how to torture and maybe even to pick up on those who most readily will
do torture for their masters?

[KansDem]

119. "I am not sure I want such hardened people running around in my neighborhood."

My thought exactly. BushCo is manufacturing the next generation of psychopaths, and I dread the moment when I mistakenly cut in front of one in traffic...

edited for spelling

[Golden Raisin]

121. And don't forget. There's always Blackwater as a backup.

BushCo has brought (or should I say bought) a private army of storm-troopers into the equation.

[Baby Snooks]

50. Bring them home?

A growing number of them should be tried in Baghdad by the Iraqi people. For war crimes. Same as the Nazis were at Nuremberg. Except this time it is the Americans who should be on trial.

Truly digusting lot if you ask me. Rumsfeld and all of them always so smug in front of Congress. Acting as if any act by an American is justified. No different from the Nazis.

How anyone in San Franciso can consider electing Nancy Pelosi to another term in office is beyond me. San Franciso. The home, really, of the anti-war movement. Now the home of the champion of war. Nancy Pelosi.

This is a war on the American people as well as the Iraqi people and she and the rest of this collection of slime they call leadership in Washington declared it. Her "if they were homeless I could have them arrested" sounded more like something Ronald Reagan would have said while governor of California when confronted by anti-war protestors.

[George II]

83. Why bring Pilosi into this? OFF topic and unnecessary.

[defendandprotect]

103. Any elected representatives who are not opposing the war --

actively trying to stop the funding for the war --- are complicit.

[Creideiki]

113. You know that's both of the remaining candidates, right?

[George II]

130. This is just a left-handed slap at Pelosi, taking an opportunity to be NEGATIVE about Democrats!

There are 435 representatives and 100 senators, very few of which are in favor of impeachment. Why weren't THEY listed?

[stimbox]

104. Pelosi continues to ignore the war and impeachment.

Impeachment is off the table. Remember that?
Funding bills keep getting passed.

We do have an alternative in the June 3 primary.

Vote for Shirley Golub

http://www.shirley08.com

Check out her new commercial:
http://www.shirley08.com/pelosi_afraid.mp3

[George II]

131. HUNDREDS of Representatives and many Senarots ignore impeachment as well, why single out Pelosi?

It's a cheap stab at being NEGATIVE about Democrats. Do you folks know ALL of the reasons why impeachment is "off the table" and why most Democrats agree? NO! There's more at stake when considering impeachment than meets the eye.

And the gratuitous links are a cheap trick. I wish the destructive "Democrat" Ms. Glob luck in the primary. It's play for notoriety only.

[stimbox]

132. She's the queen bean that's why she gets special treatment.

It's neither cheap nor is it negative because it is 100% true.
She needs to do her fucking job and hold the fuckin' war criminals accountable.
One of the main reasons that the Democrats got elected so handily in 2006.
If she can't do it then she needs to be replaced.
Which is why Shirley stepped up to run against Pelosi in the June 3rd primary.

[George II]

134. WHAT is "100% true"?

[stimbox]

135. What Baby Snooks said in post 50.

Do you live in District 8 George II?

[George II]

136. No, I live in one of the OTHER 434 Congressional Districts!!!

There are 435 members of the House of Representatives.

Nancy Pelosi is NOT the "champion of war" - when are all you negative crackpots going to realize that posts and threads like this do nothing to end the war, they just work toward destroying the Democratic Party and keeping the Republicans in the White House?

How many of you have sat in the Democratic congressional caucus? How many of you know the ins of how the Congress works? To blame Pelosi for something like this is ridiculous and destructive. She represents the consensus of the Democrats in the House of Representatives. You really think that she, and she alone, is responsible for the actions of 225+ other Democrats in the House? That is utterly ridiculous.

It's easy to post on an anonymous blog and whine and bitch about things not going the way one wants, but it's MUCH more difficult to actually do something to help the community and our country.

The negativity on this website toward democrats has reached an all-time high (or low), and it is contributing to the destruction of OUR party.

[stimbox]

138. Cry me a river. Leave the Democrats alone, they're doing stuff...

I am doing something. I am working to get Shirley Golub elected, online and IRL.
Pelosi is supposed to represent my district and she ignores us.

[George II]

139. Fine, work to get Golub elected, do NOT work to get Pelosi defeated. Otherwise....

....you're no better than Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and all the other nasty negative people in this country. What happened to talking positively about one's candidate instead of negatively about the opponent? You've made a number of posts here, but not ONE has anything positive to say about Golub. That is NOT "working to get Shirley Golub elected". That is the easy, dare I say lazy (?) way out - it's much easier to be negative about Pelosi than positive about Golub. But, why not give it a try, ok?

[stimbox]

140. The only way to get Shirley elected is to defeat Pelosi.

Save your advice for someone who cares.

[George II]

141. THEN SAY SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT GOLUB........

...obviously you've got nothing. So, based on what you've got, Golub is a loser!

[stimbox]

142. Here ya go mr. negative. Check out her website.

Vote for Shirley Golub

http://www.shirley08.com

Check out her new commercial:
http://www.shirley08.com/pelosi_afraid.mp3

[George II]

143. Me "Mr. Negative"? I'm not "working for" a candidate by bashing her opponent - you are!

I see you still can't say anything good about your candidate.

Pity.

Are you supporting her because you don't like Pelosi? It's a pretty sorry state of affairs when someone is working on a candidate's campaign but can't articulate a single positive thought about that candidate.

"Only in America"!!

[stimbox]

144. You don't matter anyway. You don't live in District 8.

But here ya go. I'm supporting Shirley Golub because I like her positions.

10 REASONS WHY: SHIRLEY, not Nancy

1 - Shirley feels strongly it is essential for the current Congress to act now to bring articles of impeachment against both VP Cheney and George W. Bush, so the American public fully understands their illegal acts and puts pressure on our representatives in the House and the Senate to do the right thing to prevent further abuses.

2 - Shirley will vote faithfully in Congress to de-fund the war in Iraq so the troops can come home.

3 - Shirley will co-sponsor single-payer health care for all (H.R. 676).

4 - Shirley will work hard to have more jobs for workers here in the U.S. by canceling N.A.F.T.A. and other so-called free trade agreements, which just put American workers at a disadvantage.

5 - With a Masters degree in Education, Shirley strongly favors federal funding of pre-school thru community college education for all who want it.

6 - Shirley wants to abolish "No Child Left Behind", the educational act that forced teachers to teach to a test, but not necessarily for what their students need.

7 - Shirley supports environmentally friendly "green-collar" jobs for youth and others.

8 - Shirley will work for full inclusivity in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, regardless of race, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity.

9 - Shirley supports the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell (H.R. 1246), and passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act (S. 1105 and H.R. 1592).

10 - Shirley supports the International Violence Against Women Act (S. 2279), which would centralize U.S Policy into a new office to strengthen the protection of women and girls where we can have global influence.



VOTE EARLY (May 4th – June 3rd)—VOTE SHIRLEY

The Progressive Democrat in Cong. Dist. 8

[George II]

146. Now THAT'S more like it! All about Shirley, nothing about Pelosi - thanks, I appreciate that!

[stimbox]

145. I'm bashing nancy... poor nancy pelosi...

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[George II]

147. Wow - your positive campaign work didn't last long, did it?

[stimbox]

148. I'll call you a waaaaaaahmbulance, ok? n/t

[George II]

150. Nah...not necessary.

Shall I get you the form required to enroll in the Karl Rove Youth Corps?

[stimbox]

151. oh yeah, i'm just like them...

:eyes: :silly: :crazy:

Have a great weekend.

:hi:

[truedelphi]

133. I agree 100% n/t

[Solly Mack]

4. K & R. I read the ACLU FOIA Torture Files

Everyone should

[barbtries]

62. i looked at the report quoted here.

horrifying. and it brings up questions. this autopsy was conducted by US military. what was the outcome? plainly it states the man was murdered. what happened to the people who killed him?

it caused me almost physical pain to read how the man was tortured and how he must have suffered before he died.

[frogcycle]

74. it doesn't say murdered

that is a legal term - it says homicide. Which means killed by people. We all know what it really is, but the technicality is that unless a court determines it is murder - first or second-degree, rather than "justifiable homicide" or "accidental homicide" or whatever euphemism they would choose to use, it isn't murder. So as long as nobody gets indicted, then nobody is getting away with murder. It's your old Catch-22. When those in authority ignore the rule of law, and just make up their own rules, it is sort of pointless to object based on the rules they have chosen to ignore.

We really have been taken over by a gang of thugs, far worse than any mafia family ever dreamed of being. I hesitate to use such an extreme analogy, but I will anyway - we are becoming like the Jews of Europe who followed the directions of the authorities, gathered their meager belongings, and got on the trains to the camps. They just didn't comprehend what horrific people they were dealing with. This autopsy report gets no more official processing than did Mengela's writings about his "experiments."

Those of us who splutter and fume on message boards like this are marginalized by apologists for war criminals like b. o'reilly, who still has the largest audience on cable.

I happened to look this morning at a thread that I honored some time back with an Algae Award:

http://www.algaeawards.com/Blogs_Forums/blog19H2O.html

It had some good, insightful commentary. But in the end it was "sound and fury, signifying nothing."

I fear they have won. And they aren't going anywhere. We are cattle milling around in the feedyard waiting our turn to be clubbed in the head.

[barbtries]

77. you're right

it did say homicide and i did read murder. but i wonder how it could be considered anything else but murder, considering that this homicide victim was beaten to death?

[frogcycle]

81. well, you and I know that

but by not acting on it, they just let it get lost in the shuffle. If they don't even bring it up for consideration, then it just goes into the archive of history. It is the pattern of the nazi's, pure and simple.

[CrispyQ]

85. What a depressing post.

Everyone should read it. We are in deep shit.

I like your site. What a great idea to capture excellent commentary on the net. I need to work on my web skills, so I may copy your idea.

[Solly Mack]

95. few...very few...have been charged

and even when charges are brought, they are often dropped or they get such a light punishment you wonder why they even bothered

and all too often the deaths - yes, the homicides, were ruled accidental. The equivalent of actually accidentally hitting and killing someone with your car.

You torture someone and they die...there is nothing accidental about that.

But remember that one of the ideas put forth in several of the torture memos was if you acted in "good faith" (whatever that means) and your primary objective was to get information, then any deaths were incidental to the primary objective, so therefore not your intentions, and that makes it accidental.

It's also called a legitimate defense, per the memos and not just the memos, should you be charged, then you can claim you were told it was legal and you acted in "good faith".


Seriously...that's what Yoo, Bybee, Haynes , etc, all claim.

:(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. This is hard to read, but read it we must...

But reading it is just the first step.

We must take our outrage at these crimes, and gather it together, and aim it so it will have the maximum impact against those who are perpetrating these actions...

K&R, the first of I hope many...

[horseshoecrab]

54. Yes!

Aimed outrage! Exactly, California Peggy.

K&R also.

horseshoecrab

[panader0]

6. K&R Thanks kpete for focusing on the real issue

[NNN0LHI]

7. I don't want to believe people can do this to other human beings

Bring the troops home and call in the lawyers.

Don

[bluesmail]

8. we've become that which we feared, terrorists.

[CrispyQ]

86. So true. --nt

[KayLaw]

9. I'm really sorry about this.

This and so many horrors I seem to be paying for. I do not support this in any way, no matter what - just for the record.

[bluesmail]

10. Any suggestions on how not to pay taxes? This, once again

is an Outrage. I will not be a participant in war crimes any longer.

[Ishoutandscream2]

11. Gosh, I thought we were the good guys...

[Brigid]

37. I'm afraid I have some bad news for you:

We're not. Haven't been for a while now. :(

[pleah]

13. K&R More people need to see what our country is doing to

most likely innocent people.. I fear that we will be next.:scared:

[spanone]

14. heaven help us all....

[gratuitous]

16. More asymmetrical warfare

Darnedest case of suicide ever seen.

Gee, I sure hope none of our star-spangled, freckle-faced all-American men and women in uniform are held responsible for this. I mean, it's just following orders, and once you've inflicted one rib fracture, there will be hell to pay from your comrades in arms if you don't fracture a second. Or a third. Or even a 25th. Good thing this unnamed victim (let's just call him Karl) was gagged; that way his screams of mortal terror didn't keep our guys awake.

[varelse]

18. I laughed in spite of myself

"let's call him Karl"

From your lips to the world's ears. It is time to bring our soldiers home and put our war criminals where they belong.

Bitter? Why yes... I am!

[jwirr]

17. We should be afraid of the people that they have taught to do this

kind of thing when they finally are back in civilian life not only because they have done them but also because of the effect this action has on their mental stability.

[Fumesucker]

19. I hate to disillusion you ...

But experiments in social psychology show that the great majority of people, Americans or not, can be made to do this sort of thing with almost no effort.

Read these two wiki sites and weep for humanity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment

[OmahaBlueDog]

22. I hate to disillusion you further...

..but I'd wager that a survey would show that torture of Arabs ranks pretty low on the list of voter priorities. Most on this board care deeply; many off this board view torture as "a necessary evil in the war on terror" or "great revenge for 9-11."

[Fumesucker]

23. I can go you one better

Check out some of the threads about crimes on this very board.

See how many DU members approve of torture of certain criminals.

[uppityperson]

29. Looking at your sig graphic made me wonder if you'd seen this one yet? (k&r)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3150242

[OmahaBlueDog]

42. Oh, yes. It's the same artist.

The artist is Andy Thomas. Dems playing poker is "True Blues" (my sig photo). The other one is "Grand Old Gang"

He's an artist. He has to make a living.

[jwirr]

28. I did not say that it was hard to teach. Only that it is dangerous to teach. nt

[Fumesucker]

30. You don't have to teach it..

That is the entire point..

People will do this stuff on their own if they are given a free hand.

[nolabels]

45. Guess maybe they make mistake then, me couldnt be any of those kind...

things you be calling people. Yea, maybe we all be animals, sure :hide:

[Fumesucker]

79. Read the Wikis I linked to..

Not everyone, but well over half of people will do stuff like this with minimal encouragement..

And a full third or more will exhibit "genuine sadistic tendencies".

The Stanford Prison Experiment was brought to a close after SIX FUCKING DAYS because the situation had gotten out of control.

[nolabels]

112. I know without a doubt that everybody has the capacity and animosity at certain times

One of our accomplishments in civilization is how well we deal efficiently with outcasts and people we disagree with. What was once accepted is no longer, the people who think torture is viable alternative are now the outcasts. The people who think others should starve so others can live luxuriously are now a small minority. The fact that the larger factions don't storm the bastille and demand is the idea of the whole being stronger than the parts. The outcasts are and will be assimilated

Yea, so people have capacity to be sadistic. What we have an even better capacity for is understanding situations and how they might eventually effect all of us personally

[Fumesucker]

116. In evolutionary terms..

Civilization sprang into being last Tuesday at 11:43 am..

We are exactly the same mentally as we were a thousand years ago or ten thousand years ago, the veneer of civilization is extremely thin and can be stripped away from us in an instant.

Those who think torture is a viable alternative are running your country right now and I suspect that they will be after the election also. I don't like that idea but I deal with reality. I have intelligent members of my own family that I'm pretty sure are going to vote for McThuselah.

I can assure you that there is no place in the world that is more than ten days away from food riots and the strong taking food away from the weak by main force.

[nolabels]

123. The idea of having people in charge that resort to desperate measures is telling

The fact that the gamut is failing is even more. When they are losing, those last years winners seldom want to give into the idea of being last years winners. The mentality of desperation is the last thing to break. The cornered rat is a wile thing in that it bites, scratches, hisses and screeches. The idea of being front and center is not a lost with being a leader, it is also part of survival. The difference, as said before, is our ability to ascertain of what importance the situation is to us and world around us.

The rat only feels the need to get out with his life because it's life is the only thing it needs to protect. With the evolution of primates the idea keeping control of the total environment around them (or us, when it comes to humans)is a turn in evolution. The only thing a desperate rat has in its' favor is the fear of surprise. In essence it's greatest defense is in it's offense which does not equate well to long term survival. There are many facets in a game of chess but trying to protect your weakness does not project strength and will lose the game most of the time. Our socialism is how we survive in todays world. I wouldn't think we need despair in that our animal brain is slowly and incrementally adapting to that fact. It's all just matter of patience that may take even more than several of our lifetime's.

The big difference from now and then is the knowledge and wherewithal. The now as opposed to thousands of years ago is in how you can destroy the enemies (or why you won't have to). Mostly this new knowledge only threatens people who feel they need to have enemies.

The thing we have also more now than a thousand years ago is trust and hope. With experience of history it seems that these are a couple of things only long lengths of time can destroy. Though destiny is not certain, it nonetheless, for all of us has been found within our own hands

[Kurovski]

20. K&R. (nt)

[Imagevision]

21. A sadder note, a female soldier committed suicide last year when forced to torture detainee's

[defendandprotect]

106. So if you say "No" you get tortured . . . !!!

This also recalls that I read recently of a doctor who had been threatened with torture if he
wouldn't cooperate --- I don't recall if this was the old MKULTRA program -- I think it was.

[horseshoecrab]

24. Error: You've already recommended that thread.

What can we do that will make a difference? I don't know for sure.

All that I can think of is that we need to start by letting our reps know that this cannot be done in our name. We need to mail them this file, this awful autopsy report and tell them that we simply cannot stand by for a minute longer. Enough! This just cannot stand as what America represents.

Any other ideas? I would love to hear them. I know that this has been going on, as we all have known, but to see this autopsy report... To know that there are many more... We need to compel our reps, our Senators to act.

horseshoecrab

[Ellipsis]

25. This not the country I grew up in, this is a travesty.

This is just terrible... terrible. God damn them!

[peacetalksforall]

26. There are severly dangerous psychopaths in contorl of the United States of America.

[Greyhound]

115. Actually they control most of the world.

:kick::thumbsup::kick:

[Lars39]

27. choreographed...

:puke:

[Disturbed]

32. Will anyone be held accountable for this brutal murder?

How many others have been murdered in our name?

[Lars39]

34. There has to be a way to end these atrocities.

I hope I live long enough to see the culprits convicted at The Hague.

[lonestarnot]

31. My America doesn't torture!

:cry:

[babylonsister]

33. And THIS is what the majority of the m$m refuses to cover; can't

have this nasty stuff in Merika's faces, disrupting their lives.

[lonestarnot]

40. I wonder what America would say if they knew, or do they know?

[malaise]

35. War crimes

Fucking war crimes. Where is the US Congress?

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Baby Snooks]

48. Response from Madame Speaker "Impeachment is off the table"

The person most responsible for this is Nancy Pelosi who kept this and everything else off the table. A truly gutless wonder she is.

Such a good German she is. She belongs at Nuremberg along with quite a few members of Congress, including quite a few Democrats, as well as the Bushes and the Clintons. And Madeline Albright.

[eppur_se_muova]

38. Army medical examiners are honest -- think they'll be pressured to "clean up" their reports?

Once the bad stuff starts to get spread around, their superiors will be pretty anxious that no more gets out.

[Disturbed]

41. There have been many of these types of murders.

Until the US Corp TV Media reports on them the American Public will
remain uniformed about them.

[bhikkhu]

43. A horrible death.

But also horrible lives - what the war did to the minds of those who did this. Any number of things could be said or concluded, most of them probably wrong, incomplete, or unjust... It is important to know "reality", however, even if one doesn't know what to do about it. Thanks.

[myrna minx]

44. Oh my god, I couldn't even read the whole thing.

:cry:

[OwnedByFerrets]

47. What if everyone on DU

called up our Rep and Senator's office on Monday and read this to them and then asked what does their boss plan on doing about it? Would it get any attention? We must be able to do more than just bitch about it on a discussion board.

[horseshoecrab]

53. that's right -- everyone should call

You can call them for free with a toll free number to the Capitol Operator. Tell them! Tell them that it's intolerable and that you'll never vote for a single one of them again. These numbers all go to the Capitol Operators: 800-828-0498, 800-459-1887 or 800-614-2803, 877-851-6437 866-340-9281.

Don't ask for impeachment. Ask them for what will work in this situation. Ask for what the ACLU and others looking into this and bringing this awful stuff to light want: Ask for a Special Prosecutor; someone who can search out everything and bring these horrid, deranged little men to justice -- Even those at the very highest levels.

Asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi for impeachment at this point is not seeing what's in front of us!
People need to be brought to justice, with criminal proceedings, and for that we need evidence which leads to criminal charges.

We have to clearly and concisely tell our legislators in both the house and senate that we demand nothing less than a stop to torture now. Then they must, by way of the Special Prosecutor appointment process, which congress can accomplish, bring those who have ordered torture as well as those who conduct torture, to justice.

Nothing less than that will ever allow us to function as a country again.

It is bigger than impeaching one stupid little man now.


horseshoecrab

[madamesilverspurs]

49. Yet Pelosi continues

to keep accountability off the table.

Can we send someone to read - and explain - her job description to her?!

[alfredo]

51. Attitude flows from the top. If we had leaders who abhors torture,

there would be no torture.

[VenusRising]

52. NOW is it time for impeachment??

:puke:

[libodem]

55. Dr Laura really likes this sort of thing

especially if it is saving somebody. Tell me Dr Laura, how could he tell anybody anything with a gag in his mouth?

[Elspeth]

73. I'll bet she wouldn't give a damn about the gag--or the lack of logic inherent in her position

Her immorality is amazing.

[slampoet]

58. Other than gagged, this is almost how Christ died.

[Nihil]

129. Yeah, sadly ironic ...

... parallels between an unknown man being tortured to death by
the soldiers of an invading empire ...

[Heathen57]

59. Sorry, I'm just kicking this so it will stay current.

I cannot read your post this late at night, or I will never get to sleep, judging by the title.

I do want to read it (later) in the morning though. I'll make sure not to eat before.

[baby_mouse]

60. K&R

[Judi Lynn]

61. Thanks for the information. Recommended. Someone in the administration needs to explain this. n/t

[rambler_american]

63. k&r

Your tax dollars at work.

[rambler_american]

64. Those that care don't matter

Those that matter don't care.

Send this to your representatives. Ask what they are going to do about it.

[madaboutharry]

65. Two words:

War Crimes.

[1776Forever]

66. European & US rights groups file torture complaint against Rumsfeld - wonder how far this has gone??

European and American rights groups file torture complaint against Rumsfeld
The Associated Press
Published: October 26, 2007

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/26/europe/EU-GEN...

PARIS: American and European rights groups filed a legal complaint in France accusing former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld of responsibility for torture in Iraq and at the Guantanamo Bay military prison, the groups said Friday.

The complaint was filed with the Paris prosecutor's office as Rumsfeld arrived in France for a visit, according to the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights, the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights and two Paris-based groups, the International Federation of Human Rights and the League of Human Rights.

..................

Anyone have an update?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

67. YOO IS A WAR CRIMINAL.

Anyone have his address? I will print this up and send it to him. AND his dean.

bastard.

[FatDave]

68. Bear in mind: this is one we know about

How many do we not know about? It's curious that the people who did this allowed an autopsy to be done. It would not have been hard to chuck the body in the street and blame the victim's rival sect.

And that makes me wonder how many similar acts we don't know about. We will be paying for this little adventure for generations.

[Echo In Light]

69. Not to mention the female soldiers, and Iraqi women & children being raped

[Patriot Abroad]

70. More evidence that the "Surge is Working"?

:puke:

[jmpnfool]

71. Please God,

Forgive us.

[sellitman]

72. I sent this to ALL my repiggy friends

It's getting harder and harder calling them friends when they support the war criminal GWB.

[JohnyCanuck]

78. Be sure to send them this Youtube link too.

It's an episode from The Young Turks showing how easy it is for people with no connections to terrorists or terrorism to get turned over to US custody at random and then be forced to undergo years of torture by the CIA's and US military's interrogators war criminal thugs to reveal information they don't have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWeL_7aXFc8

[frogcycle]

75. I got a polemic yesterday

ranting about the "war" against islam and how we have to keep fighting them over there so we won't be fighting them in the streets of New York.

It goes on and on trying to "prove" that thei "war" is essential and takes potshots at all the naive "doves" who would stand back and let "them" take over.


I have been wondering how to respond - I usually just delete, but this one deserved something in return. I think I'll "reply all" and attach this pdf.

[Jennicut]

93. Yes, and most of these losers usually live no where near the East coast

I live in Connecticut. I got on a plane right after 9/11 at Bradley airport and everyone was nervous but we didn't freak out. We all looked at each other on the plane and then everyone kind of laughed-we were all going to Disney World, me and my husband for our honeymoon. We went on with our lives. One of my close friends that I worked with nearly lost her sister that day-her sister was in the Pentagon when the plane crashed into it and we later learned her sister was in a coma. Her sister eventually woke up, she was extremely lucky. I did not freak out and neither did my friend, however. We wanted Osama Bin Laden caught and Al Qaeda brought to justice but when Bush went into Iraq that turned us against him. Still, we have lived our lives without fear. Fear controls you and when you let that happen you have given your life over to someone else which is more terrifying than any terrorist. We faught a terrible and despicable enemy before in WWII but I don't remember people giving up personal freedoms, just sacrifices with food and women going to work while their husbands faught bravely. But one terrorist decides to fly planes into a building and we decide its WWIII and its time to attack a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 except that its Muslim and has a dictator? No rational person can make this argument still in 2008 that we need to be in Iraq except maybe we messed up in going there so badly we made it so bad for ourselves that all hell will break loose when we leave. Of course if that is going to happen no matter what than how long do we have to be there? 100 years, here we come. My friend and I were directly impacted by the 9/11 attacks. I want any rightwinger to tell me how impacted they were by 9/11 and if they feel so strongly about America taking over another country why don't they go there? That's right, they have no real rational answer.

[lostnotforgotten]

76. A Country Can Be Considered Dead When It No Longer Follows Its Constitution

The case for Impeachment is crystal clear.

We are a dead country.

[skepticscott]

80. And I wonder

what incredibly valuable information this poor bastard gave up before he choked out his last breath? I'm guessing none, if his condition got to this point. And even if he did, could it have been worth it? Suppose you were told that your risk of dying in a terrorist attack could be reduced from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 100,000, but that to make that happen someone would have to be tortured to death and die in screaming agony. Who but an abject coward or a total psychopath (or most Republicans) would take that deal?

[MetaTrope]

114. That's the part that confuses me most about the Bush administration

I've always been of the opinion that they've had their hands in al-Qaeda from Day One, dating all the way back to GWB's first failed business getting bankrolled by the head of the bin Laden family.

But if that's the case, what do they expect to gain by torturing and murdering Iraqi farmers and villagers picked up in random sweeps? It would seem to be nothing but an indulgence in sadistic pleasure at the expense of any pretence of authority...something I can't begin to wrap my mind around.

[awoke_in_2003]

124. "what do they expect to gain"

Continuation of the chaos. Lots of people making big money in Iraq. If it started to get peaceful, our presence would not be required.

[republicanheart]

82. Is this the standard?

My question to all: Is this the standard by which we govern. The answer: NO! Americans do not accept this as acceptable. Do our enemies accept this as standard? Many of our enemies do accept this as standard. Punish those responsible, but don't blame the entire Government for such acts.

God Bless America!

[otherlander]

84. Print this out

Send it to your representitives if they voted for the MCA. The representitive of my district did- and he's a Democrat. :puke:

[samsingh]

87. disgusting

[mike_c]

88. there is no honor in serving evil-- American troops did this...

...in our names. We are all culpable. I am so deeply ashamed of what America has become.

[lowry]

89. horror of war

I haven't got the quote right but it seems appropriate here: The horror of war is not what the madman does, the horror of war is what the average person will do. These soldiers are not to blame for what the "decider" has wrought on this country. Through a series of orchestrated lies, abominable fear tactics and an unquestioning press, the "decider" was able to convince others that torture was the only way to prevent a recurrence of the events of 9/11. He and the villains that approved these tactics should be prosecuted.

[lonestarnot]

90. kick

[Svafa]

91. Everyone who gets the opportunity

should see the documentary Taxi to the Dark Side.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

97. My dear Svafa!

Welcome to DU!

Thank you for your insightful comment...

Be careful! This place is very addictive!

:hi:

[formercia]

92. Iraq is just the training ground

Just wait until Junior and his gang unleash these thugs on the US population in the name of Martial Law.

[JohnyCanuck]

100. Yup, I believe you are right.

The interrogators will derive just as much (or even more) satisfaction torturing US citizens (who they will no doubt regard as traitors and deserving of punishment) as they get out of torturing some brown skinned, untermenchen "haji" in a turban from Afghanistan.

[Amonester]

94. K&R&Send

how is this not worst than "sad-dam" and who will "nuremberg" the terrorists in the WH now?
:puke: :puke: :puke:

[progressoid]

96. reluctantly recommending this post.

[frogcycle]

105. I posted the other day in Veterans forum with little reaction:

In reviewing some of the older cases for my Zeitlangers website the other day, searching for pictures and/or info about some of the individuals who died before I started the site, I was rather nonplussed to discover that out of a group of about seventy I was researching, three were "non-hostile" incidents - at Guantanamo.

Two were guards - one left his belongings on the beach and evidently swam out to sea - no trace of him. The second shot himself. Another was an anesthesiologist in his 40's who collapsed and died in his room - they only said it was "under investigation."

There have also been quite a few suicides among military police assigned to guarding detainees in places like Djibouti.


How much of this is remorse, and how much is being silenced in apparent suicides will probably never be known.

[defendandprotect]

107. When you have no evidence, you torture --- ????

Obviously, this man was a great danger within the prison system --- handcuffed, shackled -
hanging from a door frame and gagged.

Could they not stand to hear the screams?

Or had this man managed to defy them by asserting his humanity?

[victordrazen]

108. What can we do?

I've become depressed by the actions of this "country". When I think of where our (huge)taxes go and then I see people literally sleeping under tarps under freeway overpasses in the rain. It's become like hell.

[NM Independent]

110. 45 year old white male, eh?

So, I guess we are equal opportunity torturers now.

I don't think they'll have any problems turning this behavior around on our own citizens when the police state comes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

111. In order for someone to hit someone that many times, and that hard,

they had already decided the guy was guilty.

[H8fascistcons]

117. Thank You Nancy Pelosi

you worthless bag of spit. You should go to the Hague with bush and Cheney and bring your worthless democratic buddies with you, Harry Reid, Rahm Emanuel, Jay Rockefeller, Ted Kennedy and all of the other criminal Fascist enablers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are AWFUL human beings, have you no shame? We expect this kind of behavior from the criminal Fascist republicans but not from Democrats, you do not get to pick and choose which crimes against the constitution and humanity to ignore...
SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOU!

[InfiniteNether]

118. Two words: "The Hague"

[Disturbed]

120. Number of Army Probes of Detainee Deaths Rises to 33 ...

Number of Army Probes of Detainee Deaths Rises to 33 ...

The Army announced yesterday a jump in the number of criminal investigations it has launched into detainee deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, among them a case ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46659-2004May21.html

The US Army investigates it's own Crimes & holds their own Trials. Think about that for a minute!

[newfie11]

122. This is fucking bullshit. This human not only had the shit

beat out of him he was also hung by his neck and strangled "asphyxia, fractures of the thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone". How can anyone do that to another human. I am so embarrassed to say we are nothing better than hitler was!!!!! If bush doesn't get brought up on war crimes I am done with this country!!

[Kjaereste]

126. I don't know how the Iraqis can possibly forgive us.

Americans poll repeatedly that we're opposed to this travesty, and yet we let it continue. We're complacent and only participate in "slactivist" online petitions and emails to our representatives rather than taking to the streets and screaming ourselves hoarse. In 2006, we elected the spineless wonders who now refuse to stop the funding for this abomination.

I was too young for the Vietnam protests, but I find it sad that back when the draft gave everyone a potential stake in the bloodbath, people protested; but now that it's just our "volunteer military" (which stop-loss rendered total bull$hit, and when they're calling up national guard units who volunteered expecting to help their states in times of catastrophe or civil defense, not to be deployed repeatedly in a senseless foreign quagmire), we don't appear to give a damn that they're being maimed and slaughtered on the altar of more almighty dollars for millionaires.

I believe we all bear the blame for not holding every foot in Washington to the fire. This represents one death out of tens or hundreds of thousands in a country which did nothing to draw our wrath except to be located over oil reserves that the Bush buddies coveted.

I am ashamed of my country, and I'm ashamed of its citizens for allowing everything from the theft of the last two presidential elections to war crimes such as the death by torture of this poor man. I am ashamed that we have borrowed money and risked our economy and are passing the consequences to the next generations of Americans so that the millionaires can avoid paying their fair share of taxes to the country which allowed them to reap such economic blessings. I am ashamed that we can find money to invade and occupy an innocent country, yet we can't find it in our hearts to stop genocide around the world, restore our infrastructure, or provide our citizens with health care, food, housing, and decent educations for our youth. I am ashamed that soldiers returning from proud service to our country cannot get the prompt and decent assistance they were promised for the physical and psychological wounds they've incurred as a result of their duty.

I just hope and pray that those responsible will be brought to justice, and soon. It's the only thing that can possibly restore my faith in America.

May God/Allah bless this unnamed victim and all the other Iraqis who have been caused suffering by Bush's war, and may the Iraqi people forgive us for our apparent indifference to the atrocities being committed in our name.

Kate

[lonestarnot]

127. I don't think they plan on doing so any time soon.

[lonestarnot]

128. kick

[kpete]

149. You are so good

to keep this kicked

I think it is my most important post ever.

You cannot read this without outrage.

I show it to all my Repub friends - none of them can argue with the brutal reality of what happened to this man. The Devil himself may have more respect for human life then this administration.

kp