Senate to hold Iraq abuse hearings

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/05/04/iraq.abuse.main/index.html

CNN) -- Sen. Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, announced Tuesday that his committee will hold a closed hearing Wednesday to investigate abuse by U.S. military personnel at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

"There have been a number of allegations that intelligence personnel instructed or encouraged the activities that have come to light over the last few days," Roberts said.

"The committee will question the witnesses to determine whether intelligence professionals had anything to do with what I think everyone believes is absolutely unacceptable conduct by Americans," he said.

I think it's good for two reasons

First, and vastly most important, is that something needs to be done about this situation. People need to be identified and punished.

Second, this will be another classic "quagmire" moment for Bush.

Did the "intelligence personnel" tell the soldiers to smile gleefully for the cameras as well?

And, pardon my ignorance, but is the intel community responsible for every atrocity that has occurred under the bush regime?

The failure to prevent 9*11, the WMD lies, the prison torture - all the fault of intel?


On a side note - isn't it a little stunning how these pro-invasion backers in the regime and Congress, and evidently some portion of pro-invasion public, are (rightfully) outraged at the torture inside the prison, yet dismissive entirely of the slaughtering and maiming of innocent Iraqi civilians that started with a shocking and awe insiring display, and has been going on for over a year?

Maybe they need to see some of the pics we here at DU have cringed at for so many months now.

And then be asked, "for what?"

I hope for the sake of the CIA that this won't be attributed to them as with everything this administration is doing wrong.

I thought this was big news.

more weeks before taking any action. I guess republicans are gauging world reaction and guessing they better start looking like they care about this. They've made major changes at the prison now, no more cameras will be allowed. (just kidding)

"Democratic Congressman John McCain" was calling for hearings earlier on CNN. (Did anyone else hear that?) Looks like they listened.

What's in a word: one is against the Genova Convention and the other is acceptable? This is mindblowing to me and we've only seen the still photos.

While torture still conveys emotional shock. Think of the following:

- alcohol abuse
- drug abuse
- self abuse
- term of abuse
- abuse of privilege

Abuse is nearly synonymous with "misuse" these days. The only word that I can think of offhand that still packs a real wallop when linked with "abuse" is child abuse (maybe sexual abuse too). This is why the Bush administration and apologists want to reframe the terms of the issue from torture to abuse (in my opinion). They always have a reason.

,...but, I guess cynicism is overwhelming me today. *sigh*

Maybe, tomorrow I will regain my pragmatic optimism and positive outlook.

And YOU can make it happen.

PLEASE NOTE MY SIG LINE – TO CALL YOUR REPS, TOLL FREE!!!

OR, TRY (877) – 762 – 8762. It’ll get you there, too! (Thank you, DUer redqueen!)


Please note, here, The World's Greatest Lists of Media Contacts – updated April 30, 2004– in the following thread:

LINK:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1504379

IF THEY THINK WE DON’T CARE, THEY WON’T, EITHER!

Also, be sure not to miss election day... Something VERY good is liable to come from this.

write your Congressmen, and Senators again. Make them know it's not enough to lay this at the feet of a couple of low level people. This goes to the top and we all know it. We want Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and even Myers heads on a platter. How high did it go? Don't let this get buried. Write, call the media as well. Don't get mad, get busy!

Do you REALLY think Our Great Republican War Congress is going to do something about this????

I don't think so...

It'll be all whitewash whitewash whitewash - just like everything else.

for four good reasons:

Warner, McCain, Byrd and Kennedy