BUSH CONTINUES MISLEADING ON PRISON ABUSE SCANDAL
In his speech before the U.S. Army War College this week, President Bush
again tried to absolve himself and his Administration from any
responsibility for the atrocities at Abu Ghraib prison. He said the abuse
was "disgraceful conduct by a few American troops who dishonored our country
and disregarded our values" [1]. But new reports show that the
Administration - and President Bush himself - approved key documents that
originally opened the door to the abuse.
Since the scandal broke, the Administration has said that, in Iraq, it
always insisted on following the Geneva Conventions on humane treatment for
prisoners. However, in a letter to the Red Cross dated December 24, 2003,
the Bush Administration asserted that detainees in Iraq "were not entitled
to the full protections of the Geneva Convention" [2] This disregard for
internationally-recognized human rights regulations was consistent with a
January 2002 directive by the White House labeling the Geneva Conventions
"quaint" and "obsolete" [3]. It is also consistent with a Newsweek report
showing that "President Bush, along with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
and Attorney General John Ashcroft signed off on a secret system of
detention and interrogation that opened the door to such methods" of abuse
and torture as documented at Abu Ghraib [4]. Those secret orders were
designed "to sidestep the historical safeguards of the Geneva Conventions."
Instead of acknowledging these documents and upholding his pledge to "usher
in an era of personal responsibility," [5] the Bush Administration is now
assaulting those who brought the story to light. Sgt. Samuel Provance told
the Associated Press he has "been disciplined by the military and stripped
of his security clearance" after he publicly refuted the President's claims
that the abuse was only the work of a few soldiers [6]. Meanwhile, Secretary
of Defense Donald Rumsfeld banned "digital cameras, camcorders and
cellphones with cameras" from all military installations in Iraq [7]. And,
as MSNBC reports, the whole Administration is "lashing out at American
journalists, adding their official voices to the chorus of talk radio,
conservative Web site and newspaper columnists" who claim the media's
coverage of the scandal and Iraq in general "is undermining support for the
war" [8].
Sources:
1. President Outlines Steps to Help Iraq Achieve Democracy and Freedom,
05/24/2004,
daily.misleader.org.
2. "Commander in Iraq to Be Replaced", Los Angeles Times, 05/25/2004,
daily.misleader.org.
3. "White House memo criticized", USA Today, 05/26/2004,
daily.misleader.org.
4. "The Roots of Torture", Newsweek, May 24, 2004,
daily.misleader.org.
5. President Bush Discusses Progress in Education in St. Louis, 01/05/2004,
daily.misleader.org.
6. "Soldier Who Spoke Out About Prisoner Abuse Disciplined", WXII12.com,
05/26/2004, daily.misleader.org.
7. "Rumsfeld Bans Camera Phones in Iraq: Report", Agence France Passe,
05/23/2004, daily.misleader.org.
8. "Media takes heat from administration over Iraq", MSNBC, 05/25/2004,
daily.misleader.org. |
