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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: combjelly who wrote (480744)	5/14/2009 2:03:57 PM
From: Brumar89	Respond to of 1575781

Obama: "small number of individuals ... investigated long before I took office" It is "my belief that the publication of these photos would not add any additional benefit to our understanding of what was carried out in the past by a small number of individuals," the president said Wednesday afternoon. "In fact, the most direct consequence of releasing them, I believe, would be to further inflame anti-American opinion and to put our troops in greater danger." "Moreover, I fear the publication of these photos may only have a chilling effect on future investigations of detainee abuse," he added. The president said that the photos "are not particularly sensational, especially when compared to the painful images that we remember from Abu Ghraib," adding they are associated with investigations that have already been closed. But, he said, "they do represent conduct that did not conform with the Army Manual." .... In his comments Wednesday afternoon, the president said the incidents depicted in the photos were "investigated long before I took office," and said those who acted irresponsible had been punished. He also reiterated his position that "any abuse of detainees is unacceptable." .... cbsnews.com ANDY RYAN: Detainee Abuse Is NOT Widespread Throughout the U.S. Military .... HOWEVER, what I do not support, nor will I stand for are the unfounded allegations by some ACLU attorneys that detainee abuse is widespread and rampant throughout the U.S. military. As a law school graduate, I understand attorneys have a duty to zealously argue their case; but it must be done without baseless comments. Amrit Singh, ACLU attorney: “These photographs provide visual proof that prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel was not aberrational but widespread, reaching far beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib.” When blanket accusations like this are made, I take it personally; it means my team, my company, and the battalion and squadron I served with are being accused of abusing detainees. I can affirmatively state that while in Iraq, neither myself nor anyone I worked with or for ever mistreated a detainee. My direct orders for handling detainees could not have been clearer; I was not to harm or mistreat a detainee. The procedure used to process detainees was so thorough and precise it protected not only soldiers but detainees too. On two separate occasions I was involved with helping to process detainees involved with killing multiple soldiers in singular, sophisticated attacks. Each time, I was proud of the professionalism displayed by the soldiers processing the detainees. Imagine how you might feel having to take custody of someone responsible for the killing and maiming of those closest to you; every American should be proud of the people I worked with during these moments. On my last mission in Iraq, I was with a platoon that discovered a suicide bomber and all the equipment to be used in his attack. While processing this detainee, his younger sister stood up and spit right in the face of the soldier keeping the family separate from the would-be bomber. This young American soldier asked another soldier to relieve him so he could do the right thing and walk away. All throughout this potentially demoralizing situation, this young American soldier displayed the professionalism and conduct exemplified by the soldiers I served with. To those who say that abuse and torture of detainees is widespread throughout the military, you owe an apology to every soldier from my team, my company, and the battalion and squadron I served with. foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com