The U.S. Army report on abuses of Iraqi prisoners is now available at The Smoking Gun.
Prepared by Army Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba, the 53-page document details mistreatment of prisoners held in the section of the lockup where some inmates were interrogated. The classified Taguba report, completed in March, concluded that soldiers “committed egregious acts and grave breaches of international law” at Abu Ghraib, where detainees were subjected to assorted sexual and psychological degradations–some of which were photographed by Army jailers.
It’s amazing how quickly information appears on the Internet. I can’t imagine what would have been different during, say, the Iran-Contra scandal if the web had been a ubiquitous presence then.
Meanwhile, President Bush took part in Arab television interviews:
President Bush said in Arab television interviews that the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison was “abhorrent” and does not represent “the America that I know.” In two interviews, he stopped short of apologizing. Bush said he retained confidence in Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
I’m not saying that Bush is responsible for the abuses, but it’s very telling that he once again stopped short of apologizing. I don’t get it, this constant lack of responsibility from this man. Who knows whether it would be the right thing to do or not, but I can’t help wondering what would happen if he stepped up to the Arab street and said, simply, that he apologizes on the behalf of the American people for the abhorrent treatment of the prisoners, and that those responsible would be punished.
Has he ever apologized for anything in his life? I just wonder. Perhaps being a Bush means never having to say you’re sorry.
And being a Clinton means never having to say ‘I commited purgery’ or being a Gore means never having to say ‘I took illegal contributions from the Chinese’ or a Kennedy never having to say ‘I killed a woman while driving drunk.’
It’s all how you look at it and whom you are choosing to listen to at the moment. When was the last time you heard a sitting president take responsibility for ANYTHING negative? This president is no different from any of the others.
You’re so right on the internet time warp we’re going through, I wonder how are nation would be different if the intenet had been around when Andrew Jackson was slaughtering ‘Injuns.’ Or when we were putting the ‘Japs’ in camps circa 1940’s. Don’t even get me started on the South and race relations.
Hopefully this new speed of information will help to keep the powers that be in check.