Viking
05-02-2004, 08:51 PM
U.S.: No Widespread Abuse in Iraq Prisons
WASHINGTON (AP) - The top U.S. military officer said Sunday there is no widespread pattern of abuse of Iraqi prisoners and that the actions of "just a handful" of U.S. troops at a Baghdad prison have unfairly tainted all American forces.
An internal Army report found that Iraqi detainees were subjected to "sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses" at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, according to The New Yorker magazine, which said it obtained a copy of the report.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said "categorically" that "there is no evidence of systematic abuse" in the U.S. detention operations in the region.
"We review all the interrogation methods. Torture is not one of the methods that we're allowed to use and that we use," Gen. Richard Myers said. "I mean, it's just not permitted by international law, and we don't use it."
The abuses at the prison included threats of rape and the pouring of cold water and liquid from chemical lights on detainees, according to the published account.
Six U.S. soldiers face courts-martial in the case. Myers said the six have been reassigned and are "essentially being detained while these investigations go forward."
Myers told ABC's "This Week" that he had not seen the 53-page report by Major Gen. Antonio Taguba that the magazine said it obtained. "I cannot comment on the veracity of that report," Myers said.
But, echoing comments last week by President Bush, Myers said, "It's really a shame that just a handful can besmirch maybe the reputations of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines who've been over there."
Myers said the Army is trying to determine whether military guards were encouraged to use such tactics in order to make prisoners disclose more information during interrogations.
"It's a good question, and we're looking into that part," Myers said. He said he would be "very surprised if there was somebody on the intelligence side saying, 'Go do this,' because everybody knows that's wrong."
The Army investigation reportedly put a share of the blame for the abuses on military intelligence and private contractors.
Myers said contractors help as translators but always are under military supervision. "They're never on their own," he said.
Myers said the United States should try to assure Iraqis that those Americans responsible for the alleged abuses "will be brought to justice. And that's what they should expect from us."
Myers also said, "I think we'll overcome it," when asked about the effect of the scandal on U.S. efforts in Iraq.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040502/D82AFUJ80.html
WASHINGTON (AP) - The top U.S. military officer said Sunday there is no widespread pattern of abuse of Iraqi prisoners and that the actions of "just a handful" of U.S. troops at a Baghdad prison have unfairly tainted all American forces.
An internal Army report found that Iraqi detainees were subjected to "sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses" at the Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad, according to The New Yorker magazine, which said it obtained a copy of the report.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said "categorically" that "there is no evidence of systematic abuse" in the U.S. detention operations in the region.
"We review all the interrogation methods. Torture is not one of the methods that we're allowed to use and that we use," Gen. Richard Myers said. "I mean, it's just not permitted by international law, and we don't use it."
The abuses at the prison included threats of rape and the pouring of cold water and liquid from chemical lights on detainees, according to the published account.
Six U.S. soldiers face courts-martial in the case. Myers said the six have been reassigned and are "essentially being detained while these investigations go forward."
Myers told ABC's "This Week" that he had not seen the 53-page report by Major Gen. Antonio Taguba that the magazine said it obtained. "I cannot comment on the veracity of that report," Myers said.
But, echoing comments last week by President Bush, Myers said, "It's really a shame that just a handful can besmirch maybe the reputations of hundreds of thousands of our soldiers and sailors, airmen and Marines who've been over there."
Myers said the Army is trying to determine whether military guards were encouraged to use such tactics in order to make prisoners disclose more information during interrogations.
"It's a good question, and we're looking into that part," Myers said. He said he would be "very surprised if there was somebody on the intelligence side saying, 'Go do this,' because everybody knows that's wrong."
The Army investigation reportedly put a share of the blame for the abuses on military intelligence and private contractors.
Myers said contractors help as translators but always are under military supervision. "They're never on their own," he said.
Myers said the United States should try to assure Iraqis that those Americans responsible for the alleged abuses "will be brought to justice. And that's what they should expect from us."
Myers also said, "I think we'll overcome it," when asked about the effect of the scandal on U.S. efforts in Iraq.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040502/D82AFUJ80.html