Rumsfeld Testifies Regarding Abuses @ Abu Ghraib Prison

Rumsfeld testify before Senate Armed Services Committee about charges that Iraqi prisoners had been abused by U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison. It will be live on CNN in just a few moments. He has avoided apologizing and I�m curious if he will do the same in the hearing.

Rumsfeld also made clear that he, too, felt "he didn't know some things he should have," according to the senior official, along with another official.

Despite the blunt exchange, however, both Bush and his press secretary, Scott McClellan voiced confidence in Rumsfeld, who has been under fire on Capitol Hill for the way the Pentagon has handled the burgeoning controversy.

Rumsfeld will testify Friday morning about the abuse reports in a two-hour open hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the panel's chairman, Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia.

www.cnn.com...


[Edited on 7-5-2004 by kinglizard]

Just a heads up, It's on CNN right now.

Did you see the hecklers?

GOD that was great. Maybe it still is America!!!

I hope their lives aren't ruined.

Rumsfeld was just interupted by a group of protesters live on CNN.

Originally posted by RANT
Did you see the hecklers?

The heckling protesters took a page directly out of the 60�s handbook on peaceful protest. They stood up during Rumsfeld�s opening statement chanting �FIRE RUMSFELD� they were quickly ushered out of the hearing. Rumsfeld then continued with his opening statement without hesitation not mentioning the interruption.



[Edited on 7-5-2004 by kinglizard]

During Rumsfeld�s opening statement he apologizes in advance for not being able to completely answer all questions in detail to protect the soldiers from information being leaked before any pending legal action regarding their actions. It sounds like hi is going to �duck and weave�.

The question posed to Rumsfeld was �What authority was given to the guards and who directed their actions who was in charge� Rumsfeld says �oh, I forgot to bring that information� unbelievable.

Can someone vid cap or this that illegal? maybe put it on bit-torrent or something

Originally posted by ktprktpr
Can someone vid cap or this that illegal? maybe put it on bit-torrent or something

I don't have the ability to "video capture" the hearing, I wish I did. I have no idea it it legal. What is bit-torrent?

Originally posted by RANT
Did you see the hecklers?

GOD that was great. Maybe it still is America!!!

I turned it on right when they where being ushered out. That was the best.

Rumsfeld Is just getting drilled. His is very shaky.

"Oh I forgot that."

Originally posted by kinglizard
During Rumsfeld�s opening statement he apologizes in advance for not being able to completely answer all questions in detail to protect the soldiers from information being leaked before any pending legal action regarding their actions. It sounds like hi is going to �duck and weave�.

This is going to get really ugly. During Rumsfeld's opening statement, he also mentioned that there are more photos and a video tape that show actual beatings/torture.

Originally posted by Bleys
During Rumsfeld's opening statement, he also mentioned that there are more photos and a video tape that show actual beatings/torture.

Yes I just heard them refer to videos and their eventual release to the public. This is so fricking bad.

I didn�t realize that impeachment papers are being drawn up to remove Rumsfeld from office. President Bush says he will stay because he is an important part of his cabinet.

www.msnbc.com.../d/ip/Rumsfeld_testimony_040507/data.js&navid=3032091&fmt=full&cp1=1
streaming video available here.

I loved how Rummy said he would not resign under "political" pressure and that he feels that he is still effective as Secratery of Defense.

Is the issue really the fact that Iraqi prisoners were mistreated, or that Rumsfeld allegedly kept this information from the public and the Congress?

If it is found that Rummy played an active role in attempting to obscure this information from anyone, for any reason, successfully or unsuccessfully, he should resign on his own recognizance of that fact. If he refuses, he should be fired. And if Bush resists him being fired, he should be fired himself. As if that shouldn't have already happened...

Sessions pointed out that some terrorists have offered money for Rumsfeld's death.

On another note:

As stated earlier in this thread heckling protesters stood up during Rumsfeld�s opening statement chanting �FIRE RUMSFELD� the were quickly ushered out of the hearing.

Photo of protesters below.







[Edited on 7-5-2004 by kinglizard]

I don't know which is worse, having to deal with the images and stories of abuse of Iraqis at the hands of US soldiers, or having to watch our leaders make exuses for it... How many times do we need to hear them say "I did not know" or "I was unaware"

Donald Rumsfeld knew about this and kept it "under the rug" for a long time... too long... Long enough to say he was at least guilty of looking the other way.

This is a shame ... a shame on all americans... these soldiers/abusers were in uniform and on duty... Their actions were under the American flag... and it was thought that it could be all swept under the rug.

Did the president know? ... Was Rumsfeld wrong to have waited so long to tell his "higher ups"?

Does it really matter?

If we lose ground in the overall war on terrorism, it will be because of this whole mess.

and as far as I see it, its to late to say "I am sorry"

We went into the middle east with the claim that democracy was the answer, liberation was the cure. what we have shown here is that we are not immune to evil. and that evil has infected many... too many.

It is time to learn from our mistakes here. The finger pointing and blame game will do nothing but add fuel to the fire.

The next time we face a terror attack in the USA ... mark my words here.. Most of the world will look the other way, or say They deserved it.. It was time the USA was punched in the nose.

We have now given the Islamic world of radical view a sense of justice to their insane cause.

And what can we really do about it now?

Gazz





[Edited on 7-5-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Try to rectify the situation is all that can be done, realistically.
Will it help? Dunno.
Will it change how the US is currently viewed? Probably not.
Should it cause the US and Coalition to abandon its intent and purpose for Iraq? No.
Stay on track and complete the job should an is the continued goal.
The damage is done. Nothing will change what has happened. Remorse and an apology has a variety of meanings and interpretations to all those who see, read, and hears them.
Instead of continuing to carry this matter into oblivion, concentrated efforts should be made to get Iraq to the point where it can provide for itself and take on its own internal and external security concerns without US and Coalition assistance, as it is now.




seekerof

And what can we really do about it now?

Gazz

1. Anyone in the chain of command who knew of the abuses (fully understood to be contrary to any civil or martial law) and lied about knowing about them should resign.

2. The people responsible should be punished.

3. US taxpayers, sadly, have to foot the bill for compensation for the victims and families.

4. Change the government. Whether it is by impeaching and removing its leader on the grounds that are growing with each passing week - Bush is surviving by the skin of his chimpanzee teeth until the few morally principled people in the admin crack and come clean - or whether it is just getting rid of this cancer at the next election, it will be done.

5. Repatriate the illegally obtained and corruptly distributed profits of the war to their rightful owners.

6. Collectively determine how to stop this happening again, and cease and desist from defending it.

[Edited on 7-5-2004 by MaskedAvatar]

Originally posted by Seekerof
Will it change how the US is currently viewed? Probably not.

It's getting worse, Seek. Now soldiers are coming out willing to testify that the abuses have been widespread and long-occuring among all types of units. Just check out the video from the frontline episode on the 'was this legal?' thread. Our soldiers are acting the fool over there, plain and simple. I blame leadership for that. For christ's sake, they dumped 20 rounds into a car just before running it over with a tank because a guy was looting WOOD!

Wasting ammo, destroying private property for infractions. That's totally unreasonable.

[Edited on 7-5-2004 by DeltaChaos]