British Newspaper's Account Of Explicit Abu Ghraib Photos Corroborated

The Daily Beast:

The Pentagon is denying the facts: Photographs of Abu Ghraib torture are even more sexually explicit than first reported, including rape and sodomy, writes The Daily Beast's Scott Horton, who has obtained specific and detailed corroboration of the photos.

Read the whole story: The Daily Beast

Comments

[rabiddog6708]

All that is necessary for the triumph of ev.il is for g00d men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke

[MyMindSpray]

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/torturingdemocracy/program/

[tbone99]

They took torture from communism and left universal healthcare - how very typical!

[tbone99]

It appears that Obama is is still unsure where he stands on torture, probably the reason he continues to cover for Bush and Cheney.. It seems that he is reserving it for agencies "outside" the military

Obama's executive order on interrogation:

(i) to study and evaluate whether the interrogation practices and techniques in Army Field Manual 2 22.3, when employed by departments or agencies outside the military, provide an appropriate means of acquiring the intelligence necessary to protect the Nation, and, if warranted, to recommend any additional or different guidance for other departments or agencies...

[FrozenNorthObserver]

"Obama reserving the right to torture? Non-denial denial from White House (UPDATED)
http://www.mydd.com/story/2009/5/22/25821/4682"

his pick to run Afghanistan is not very reassuring either,

http://www.alternet.org/story/140068/cheney%27s_chief_assassin_is_now_obama%27s_commander_in_afghanistan/?page=entire

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/5335846/Gen-Stanley-MacChrystal-Americas-new-army-chief-in-Afghanistan-under-fire-over-rough-tactics-and-prisoner-abuse.html

[EconPadawan]

"I am Jack's complete lack of surprise." The acronym C I A and the word truth should never be used in a sentance without the word "not" in it.

[LeroyJenkins]

This was all done to break the will of a man was committed to die.
You may die for a cause, even willing to sacrifice your family as martyrs, but to watch your son raped is another matter.

Remember also, the specter of having insurgents believe America is capable of doing this, is a psychological advantage in itself.

None of this were isolated incidents or a few bad apples. These were/are programs wriiten and directed by some of the best civilian academics.

[LeroyJenkins]

lets get real for a moment, all this hyper-s exualized, S&M, deviant, macabre acts were highly studied practices taken from the I s ra el i M o s sad own torture regiment.

This was all done to break the will of a man was committed to die.
You may die for a cause, even willing to sacrifice your family as martyrs, but to watch your son raped is another matter.

Remember also, the specter of having insurgents believe America is capable of doing this, is a psychological advantage in itself.

None of this were isolated incidents or a few bad apples. These were/are programs wriiten and directed by some of the best civilian academics.

[kissMYfish]

Our President wants us to hold him accountable. We just need to flood his site with letters addressing our dis-satisfaction in regards to him dis-allowing the pictures to be released. Need to also, flood the AG's office. Blogging about the issue might give some people some relief. I, personally, don't see us moving forward until this issue is in the making. It may take a while for it to be resolved but we have to start. Bush, Cheney and the others shouldn't be traveling around talking about the good that came out of their torture techniques. It is time for this to come to a halt. It is time for action. Bring them in for questioning and jailing until their trial date. Which will be AFTER the trials of those prisoners they jailed .

[We-Are-The-Ones]

The President has made cogent arguments on the release of the photos to the court. The court will resolve the issue one way or another. Flood anybody's in-box isn't going to change that.

Further, flooding the AG's office is not going to change anything and it should not. The AG should be bound to pursue the law and not public opinion. If there is evidence of lawbreaking, the AG will pursue that. Give it time.

[rshrink]

It appears that you have not spent much time observing what goes on in politics. Public opinion that translates into money to pay for campaigns, comes first, then somewhere after that could be the pursuing of law.

[ProfessorDuh]

What court? NO ONE is ever going to be punished for this unless public opinion demands it, and that will never happen if no one sees the photos. That is why they are being kept secret.

[FrozenNorthObserver]

right, he does not even see these as crimes, but as mere "policy differences"

Hold er Says He Will Not Permit the Cri minaliza tion of Policy Differences - ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=7410267&page=1

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/sunday-late-nite-criminalizing-policy-differences/

[HyperInfluential]

I think we need public demonstrations rather than an email campaign for this, because Obama already agrees with us. What he needs from us is massive demonstrations that he can point to when the GOPers come around accusing him of enforcing the law out of a partisan motive. He needs for there to be absolutely no question in anybody's mind that sodomizing children by order of the president is not going to fly in the United States of America.

When these crimes are confirmed beyond doubt and absorbed by the public, Bush's library may well become a national museum of shame, and his retirement hacienda a cell.

[freethinkergirl]

Your very right, public demonstrations will bring this out in such a way that the media MUST cover it, no matter how they lean politically. It must be put out to the citizenry of the world, no longer ending up in Internet wastebaskets.

It will take a public outcry, much like the demonstrations for racial equality in the 60's and anti war demonstrations of the 70's. When the people "speak" for justice, they will listen.

The world must know that the US will not condone this behavior and that we must atone for these horrible acts. We cannot stand as a moral nation when our actions are no better, maybe worse than those we accuse of being amoral and of civil rights abuses. We are better than that.

I feel that somehow the POTUS is wanting the "we the people" to show our outrage, this will give him the countenance to go after Bush & Co. The rightwing & D.I.C.K must know that they can no longer admonish this administration with their preposterous threats.

Where and how do we get started?

[janeInCA]

You've got the points. Bush library money should be transfered to Cheney's library of "enhanced interrogations".

[ProfessorDuh]

Let's just admit what's going on here. Americans are afraid to let the world see the torture and rape they deliberately inflicted on the citizens of a country that never attacked or threatened the U.S. Americans now live in desperate fear of the TRUTH.
So much for your pathetic "land of the free, home of the brave" nonsense.

[rshrink]

"We" did not torture. There was a profound deliberate attempt to do things secretly. I promise you, no one ever asked for my permission. In fact, protesting this whole hoax of an administration was not even paid attention to. I think that people from most other countries are far more aware of what is going on in this country than most Americans have been.

[ProfessorDuh]

It was Americans' job to be aware of what was being done in their name. They didn't care. They gave in to bloodlust and stupidity, and let Bush invade a country that never attacked or threatened the U.S., and torture and rape its citizens. If we're going to surrender to evil and cheer it, and then COVER IT UP AND NOT EVEN PUNISH IT, let's at least be honest about what we really are.

[RTIII]

It's the media, of course; we need media divestiture NOW.
.

[ProfessorDuh]

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
— George Orwell

[Okieborn]

No Prosecution Huh !!!
Give them all a free pass Huh !!
What has happenened to the words Honesty and integrity in this great nation ????

[jmpurser]

About the same thing that happened to the phrase "Change you can believe in".

[freethinkergirl]

I still believe there will be change, better it be done deliberately and purposely. If the change is not well planned and calculated it will deepen the quagmire we are currently in.

Change applied with longanimity and moderation will be far more effective. Sort of getting all your ducks in a row, so that we will be able to have a cognizant retort to the fallacious attacks from the rightwing.

I do feel that there is a lot more going on "behind the scenes" than the public currently knows about. As well as the fact that everyone is talking up a storm, information is coming out that may never have, if there had been immediate indictments. D.I.C.K is digging himself a huge hole and now W has also opened his mouth and is joining him in the muck, perfect.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

The word is "no prosecution" it is instead let the AG decide. It is the job of the Department of Justice.

The word is: Patience.

There is still hope, honesty, and integrity in this great nation. Unfortunately, it is being pulled by ignorance, inflexibility and impatience.

[HyperInfluential]

I'm sorry if it seems like we're in a rush, it's just that some of us have a lot of that "empathy" thing, and it causes us to never cease hearing the screams of these victims once we know they exist, and quite honestly all the economic rebound and free healthcare in the world won't quiet them. Only justice will.

Sorry to be inflexible, but there it is. Isn't there something in the Bible about not trying to do other things in a place where blood cries out from the stones? They must be washed first and reconsecrated, no?

[FrozenNorthObserver]

Th O WH does not even see these atr oci ties as crimes he sees this de pra vity as mere "poli cy diffe rences" as does his Gon zales like Ju st. De pt.

Hol der Says He Will Not Permit the Crim inaliza tion of Poli cy Diffe rences - ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=7410267&page=1

http://firedoglake.com/2009/04/26/sunday-late-nite-criminalizing-policy-differences/

[Harmony1812]

These pictures are horrible. If they are released they would be toxic as propaganda against us. It was a dispicable and shameful time for our country.
As much as I believe in full disclosure, I cannot see any positive results from publicly disclosing these. It's bad enough that these are on the net. Acknowledgement and condenation of these acts and ALL perpetrators punished including those who ordered torture (Cheney, et al) to the full extent of the law must happen to restore our reputation as a humane society.

[jmpurser]

Right now they're the PERFECT propaganda against us. Everyone knows they're there. Everyone knows they're bad. Everyone knows we've decided not to do anything about them except keep them secret. So anyone who wants to can make up anything they want to and point to our behavior as proof that it's as bad as they say it is.

I can't imagine anything more dangerous to the troops. The ONLY people this protects are the ones in DC.

[RTIII]

You are _so_ right.
.

[ProfessorDuh]

In other words, just to be clear, you DON'T believe in "full disclosure." You believe in covering up the evidence of war crimes.

[HyperInfluential]

We usually deal with sensitive stuff like this by declaring that we WILL release it, but after a certain cooling-off time. Can't we do that now? We want to preserve the evidence for juries anyway! Why don't the progressive people in congress get a sneaky bill together to support something like THAT?

[jmpurser]

Until we release those photos anyone is free to say whatever they want about them and tragically they're almost sure to be more credible than the "America Does Not Torture!" United States.

So, NOT releasing the photos is clearly stirring up the Arabs and endangering our troops. NOW will President Obama do the right thing?

Or was it really all about covering high ranking asses in the first place?

[RRG64]

not low average intelligence, just a lack of exposure to the truth due to a complicit MSM.

[sviolette]

The White House picking and choosing what they wanted to spew over the airwaves as fact.

[jmpurser]

Cause secrets are GOOD for a democratic republic! They keep us safe and strong!

[karela]

General Taguba himself debunked this article today. He said that he has not seen the pictures that Obama is trying to with hold. He was referring to pictures he saw when he investigated Abu Graib. But he strongly agrees with the President that no more pictures should be released. He feels strongly that their release would greatly endanger American troops. We should listen. How many of our sons and daughters and husbands and fathers and mothers have to die before we care.

[sviolette]

Hiding what happened could have even graver consequenses for our troops. Cover ups are never the correct way to handle any problem.

[dwright]

is that you - teleprompter - baby orangutan ?

[Harmony1812]

These pictures and worse ones would be the worst propanganda and the best recuiter of America haters ever.

[Rule Of Law]

"How many of our sons and daughters and husbands and fathers and mothers have to die..."

Probably as many as we allow to be killed in this war of imperial occupation! German saw far worse under the Reich, dealt with it and emerged stronger for it. Are we less capable than they?

[RRG64]

'In spite of the White House and Pentagon’s synchronized rebuttal to an explosive story by the Daily Telegraph alleging the White House is suppressing images of prisoners’ sexual abuse, almost nothing about the paper’s Thursday morning report was new, least of all the charges of rape.

“The American public needs to understand, we’re talking about rape and murder here,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), telling reporters in 2004 why the Abu Ghraib photos should not be released as former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld faced calls for his resignation.

“We’re not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience. We’re talking about rape and murder and some very serious charges.”

The allegations leveled by Major General Antonio Taguba in Thursday’s Telegraph fall almost precisely in line with what was learned in 2004 following the first news and fallout from the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.

Even Rumsfeld called the recorded abuse “cruel,” “inhuman” and “blatantly sadistic.” "

http://www.prisonplanet.com/flashback-torture-photos-depict-‘rape-and-murder’-sen-graham-said-in-2004.html

[FrozenNorthObserver]

he himself has been debunked. And the bigwigs from both parties have known about this for 5yrs.

"CONGR ESSIONAL LEADERS had a chance to screen over 1,600 of the still-classified images in May of that year. - this why the co ver up is happening. It pure si ck politics.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5413633/Telegraph-report-over-Abu-Ghraib-abuse-photos-confirmed.html

[Tim303]

Go to bbc.co.uk, click on Radio 4, and find "Saturday Live" for 05.30.09. There's an interview with Lynndie England, the Abu Ghraib guard.