US jails overcrowded in Iraq

US jails overcrowded in Iraq
From correspondents in Washington
26dec05

US military prisons in Iraq are overcrowded but the military is refusing to hand over detainees until Iraqi prisons meet US custody standards, American military authorities said.

"Bottom line, we will not pass on facilities or detainees until they meet the standards we define and that we are using today," Major-General John Gardner, head of US military prisons in Iraq, told The New York Times in an interview published today.

Two recent raids on Iraqi government jails have uncovered scores of abused prisoners. US military experts have joined Iraqi officials in inspecting Iraq's detention centres.
The Times said three of the main US-run prisons in Iraq are severely overcrowded despite a $US50-million ($68 million) expansion program.

The report quoted Defence Department and military officials as saying General George Casey, the US commander in Iraq, has expressed frustration over the burden of guarding detainees whose numbers are growing far faster than inmates can be processed and turned over to Iraqi authorities.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17663941%255E1702,00.html

All except spies for the US and Israel. I can't figure out how a formerly vicious dictator was able to do that and not have the country fall apart.

http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/Irq-summary-eng

General amnesty

In October the Revolutionary Command Council, Iraq’s highest executive body, issued Decree No. 25, signed by President Saddam Hussain, purportedly ordering the release of all prisoners. The amnesty included “prisoners, detainees and fugitives jailed for political reasons and all other ordinary reasons, including sentenced to death… inside or outside Iraq”. However, it excluded Arabs condemned or accused of spying for Israel and the USA.

Wackenhut to the rescue. As here. Business is booming.

let's build more prisons!