Hersh: Children sodomized at Abu Ghraib, on tape

After Donald Rumsfeld testified on the Hill about Abu Ghraib in May, there was talk of more photos and video in the Pentagon's custody more horrific than anything made public so far. "If these are released to the public, obviously it's going to make matters worse," Rumsfeld said. Since then, the Washington Post has disclosed some new details and images of abuse at the prison. But if Seymour Hersh is right, it all gets much worse.

Hersh gave a speech last week to the ACLU making the charge that children were sodomized in front of women in the prison, and the Pentagon has tape of it. The speech was first reported in a New York Sun story last week, which was in turn posted on Jim Romenesko's media blog, and now EdCone.com and other blogs are linking to the video. We transcribed the critical section here (it starts at about 1:31:00 into the ACLU video.) At the start of the transcript here, you can see how Hersh was struggling over what he should say:

"Debating about it, ummm ... Some of the worst things that happened you don't know about, okay? Videos, um, there are women there. Some of you may have read that they were passing letters out, communications out to their men. This is at Abu Ghraib ... The women were passing messages out saying 'Please come and kill me, because of what's happened' and basically what happened is that those women who were arrested with young boys, children in cases that have been recorded. The boys were sodomized with the cameras rolling. And the worst above all of that is the soundtrack of the boys shrieking that your government has. They are in total terror. It's going to come out."

www.salon.com...

I started to look for the real reason of why Obama have stopped ACLU and reversed his decision to show the rest of the Abu Ghraib 2004 scandal and other controversial photos and video material which now are kept hidden & secret?

Is this the photos and tapes that Seymore Herse did mention - that they now want to supress from coming out in the light?! - we have many threads about this right now here at ATS - but no one seems to understand what all the fuzz is about?

Many think it's these old awful photos:

www.antiwar.com...

www.antiwar.com...

But according to Hersh 2004 it's a lot worse - Children sodomized at Abu Ghraib?

Could this be the awful truth they now are supressing?

Is this the smoking gun of the awful truth that they are soo terrified of? And, is this what ACLU wants to bring out in the open?

Of course! Why would they want 'The Average Joe Public' and the world to know and see these awful atrocities that were documented by video and photos at Abu Ghraib and other locations where severe mistreatment & torture took place.

The people would scream for justice all over the world, and want all the responsable higher command to take responsability for this crime

Soo if this is the content of the material that Obama now doesn't want ACLU to bring out in the light for the public, how can the naysayers & deniers of torture here defend this kind of actions & atrocities?

How can you justify such actions and crime against humans and the humanity?

I'm terribly shocked by this! if this is the truth? I have some difficulties to find words for it!

Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina, saw the pictures and the videotapes along with the rest of the Senate.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters, "The American public needs to understand we're talking about rape and murder here. we're not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience.

www.cbsnews.com...

Apparently Congress knew about this since 2004. However, photographs of what Hersh described in 2004 was expected to be released by Obama soon - while I don't want the new pictures to be public! I think it's important that the information regarding this gets out there in the open -I don't know what is exactly true in all of this yet, but it sure is a lot more to this story of WHY they wanna supress all of this because of the ACLU's request

Interested people should really check out all the documents of this site: ACLU
www.aclu.org...

But all this together should be enough reasons for supressing the tapes & photos.

Let's hope that the information & truth comes out some day, so we can clear all doubts of these terrible tapes & events so the world can move on!

EDIT: Just to make it clear, I don't wish or hope that any US personal were involved with this kind of activities, and I now just want to have a neutral view on this and try to understand the evil behind it.

I understand that the subject can be very sensitive for many that have friends or family over there in service, but this is not about them or other regular soldiers who have served their country.

This is a about some few bad apples in a very specific situation & time in the history of this long war.

If I have offended you in some way with this thread? well! I can only say I'm sorry for this!


[edit on 15-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to see those pictures. I think keeping the video or pictures locked up IS the right thing to do. Should the INFO be out? ABSOLUTELY, but there is no reason to release footage like that to the public. IMO, it only exploits those children further.

Interesting topic, here are some other things to add to this...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I do wonder why Obama would go so far to protect the last administration, other than if these photos where to be release the world would demand justice, and that justice would come at the end of a rope!

I guess these children were terrorist and we should just ignore this?

This is beginning to be more disgusting than I can take!

Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina, saw the pictures and the videotapes along with the rest of the Senate.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told reporters, "The American public needs to understand we're talking about rape and murder here. we're not just talking about giving people a humiliating experience."

www.cbsnews.com...


[edit on 15-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

Originally posted by Layla
I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to see those pictures. I think keeping the video or pictures locked up IS the right thing to do. Should the INFO be out? ABSOLUTELY, but there is no reason to release footage like that to the public. IMO, it only exploits those children further.

Yes you are probably right!

But all of the information needs to get out, and all of the people higher up must take responsability and make an public apology to the world.

This was actually reported a couple of months after the Abu Ghraib photos came out.

This is sickening.

Now I understand why Obama doesn't want this out, this would, in one single strike, create thousands, if not millions, of potential threats to America.

This would radicalize many.

BUT!

Obama should release the information (not any images or identities), and he should state, without any shadow of doubt, that the Bush administration, all of them, will face charges.

Then he needs to repeat that the Obama administration is a new start. He needs to make it clear that America has changed. His current inaction, in light of these leaks, will only erode the image of Obama and America even further. He simply has to be open and honest and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

If he doesn't, and this is already leaking, it will make millions enraged against America, and it will show that Obama is no different to Bush. He has no sense of justice unless he makes the previous government, their military leaders and those soldiers on the ground, pay for what they have done to those kids, those innocent people and the image of America around the world.

BUSH AND HIS CRONIES HAVE TO PAY!

Many people assumed that this and far worse was taking place. That this is the tip of the iceburg. And to women too!

I suppose it would make a large portion of the world pretty upset to find out the lengths to which the US will go to get its info and I realise it could be detrimental to the forces and to US citizens but these photos should be published.

Not just so that we know, but so that we can set standards to steer away from.

ahh...isn't that good ole compassionate conservative just grand!!

if this is true, no we don't need to see the pictures, WE need to track down those who are responsible, all the way up the line of command, to bush and cheney if it's found that they share in the responsibility, and we need to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law, starting at the top!!

otherwise, our whole nation is gonna be held responsible, and well, if you think the financial mess we are in is bad, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Originally posted by grover
This was actually reported a couple of months after the Abu Ghraib photos came out.

Yeah! but in a lot of threads there's a lot of confusion about what all the fuzz is about now with Obama & ACLU regarding the release of this material.

Everyone keep referring to the old already published torture photos from Abu Ghraib, and say it's not a big deal - but this is a hell of lot worse than many could even dream of.

Someone needs to take responsability, the world and the families involved should demand this.

No one have said there was soldiers involved, it only says it happened at Abu Ghraib.

But an public apology from the responsable people to the rest of mankind should be in order.

[edit on 15-5-2009 by Chevalerous]

reply to post by baseball101


Many thanks for the links to all those important threads!

I will start reading them later tonight!

At least some of you guys can be "happy" to know that Donald Rumsfeld agrees with you in tracking down all of the violators and making sure they are made accountable for there illegal and despicable actions, all the way up to the top.

There is no apology that can suffice for the child.

There is no context in which this can be categorized as 'in defense of our nation', 'for the betterment of mankind', 'to keep America safe'.

Secrets are weaknesses. Those in power have too many.

Keeping this outrage from the American people doesn't "serve" the American people. MY CHILDREN are now at risk for paying the price of this blasphemy they claim was done while we were 'supporting our troops'. Blowback. Is it any wonder some of these soldiers flip out?

Or did we 'train' them to do this?

If we don't return to the Constitution, at whatever price, and soon; this will be what we leave our children in posterity. It will always be known that "America" did this; even though that is a bald-faced lie, America NEVER wanted this. Only those believing lies and propaganda can support it feebly, if a tall. And my children WILL KNOW the 'unreported' and 'downplayed' truth, I will tell them. If things don't change, in 20 years, those who dare remember the truth will be called conspiracy loons, or worse.

[edit on 14-5-2009 by Maxmars]

I'm confused.

The boys who were taken with the women their sons? Or just a general round up? Who were the boys supposedly sodomized by? Troops? Other inmates?

Thanks.

Originally posted by DeadFlagBlues
I'm confused.

The boys who were taken with the women their sons? Or just a general round up? Who were the boys supposedly sodomized by? Troops? Other inmates?

Thanks.

If it is true, are you considering that it might be excusable to rape a child?

Who is Seymour Hersh ?
I think I have heard that name before.

I cannot access the OP's page.

[edit on 073131p://bThursday2009 by Stormdancer777]

reply to post by Maxmars


Have you considered that I might just be looking for clarity?

[edit on 14-5-2009 by DeadFlagBlues]

Is this true? My first thought would I would leave America if we did this. I would give up my citizenship.
But I can't do that. I really need to know if this is true.
If this is true...is this true? Would our soldiers do that?