Rumsfeld: A Surprise Visit to Baghdad

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Registered: 03-18-2000
Rumsfeld: A Surprise Visit to Baghdad
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Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:35am

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/13/international/middleeast/13CND-RUMS.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5062&en=87c1ac4cae885ce7&partner=GOOGLE&ex=1085112000


Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, making an unannounced trip to Iraq amid worldwide furor over abuse of detainees, flew into Baghdad today for meetings with commanders to discuss the conditions of American-run prisons here.


``We care about the detainees being treated right,'' Mr. Rumsfeld said. ``We care about soldiers behaving right.''


Mr. Rumsfeld indicated that he may not be satisfied with an explanation that the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison was solely the acts of a small band of misguided military police, and that he may be looking higher up the chain of command.


``We care about command systems working,'' he said.


Abu Ghraib prison, for decades the scene of murder and torture under Saddam Hussein, has now become, in photos circulating the globe, a symbol of abuse by American military jailers and a stain on American pride.


Mr. Rumsfeld cautioned that his mission to Iraq should not be viewed as a solo journey that could heal the wounds to America's image from the detainee abuse.


``We're not on an inspection tour,'' he said. ``If anyone thinks I'm there to throw water on the fire, they're wrong.''


Even so, Bush Administration officials have expressed fears that the signature image of the war is no longer cheering Iraqis toppling Mr. Hussein's statue in Baghdad, but may instead become American soldiers laughing and giving ``thumbs up'' signs as Iraqi detainees are abused and humiliated.


Mr. Rumsfeld, who has fended off calls from some in Congress for his resignation, made clear he was aware that this trip will likewise be scrutinized throughout Iraq - including by some who might claim jurisdiction to try the American soldiers in their own courts once sovereignty is returned on June 30.


``The United States government is going to take care of the people who end up being convicted of some wrongdoing,'' Mr. Rumsfeld said. ``The justice system of the United States is serious, professional - and it's underway.''


General Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, flew with Mr. Rumsfeld to Iraq; that was another sign of the unusual nature of the trip, because the Pentagon's most senior civilian and military leader rarely travel aboard the same aircraft.


General Myers said he believed that opinion around the world, and especially in the Arab world, can best be satisfied by allowing the military justice system to run its course and by punishing those found guilty of violence and abuse of detainees.


He warned that the cry for public release of all the photographs and video images from Abu Ghraib - confiscated as part of a criminal investigation - could violate the rights to due process of the accused, who then could argue for their charges to be dismissed.


``The worst possible outcome is that they get off, that somehow through all of the discussions that we've been having, and somehow through releasing evidence that we have, that the people who deserve to be punished are somehow released,'' General Myers said.


Of the actions by American military personnel at Abu Ghraib, he said: ``This is a terrible tragedy. We're not going to ever try to say that it is not.''


Mr. Rumsfeld noted that some of the images on the three discs that are central to the Abu Ghraib investigation are pictures solely of American soldiers, and have nothing to do with detainee abuse. The rights to privacy of those troops must be protected, he said.


But rather than continue to suffer through a slow release of selected photographs broadcast by television or printed in newspapers and magazines, Mr. Rumsfeld said ``As far as I'm concerned, I'd be happy to release them all to the public and get it behind us.''


But he said a number of Bush Administration legal advisers throughout the executive branch were not recommending such an action.


Mr. Rumsfeld bristled at complaints that the Pentagon was engaging in a cover-up by not more rapidly bringing the provocative details of the abuse allegations to the attention of the President, Congress or the public.


Such a charge, Mr. Rumsfeld said, is ``unfair, inaccurate and wrong. And if I find any evidence that it's true, I'll stop it.''


He then took a shot at the Arab news media, which he said has filled newspapers and news broadcasts with anti-American propaganda about the mission in Iraq.


``We have been lied about, however, day after day, week after week, month after month for the last 12 months in the Arab press, in Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya,'' he said.


For the first leg of his voyage, conducted under tight secrecy and heavy security, Mr. Rumsfeld flew nonstop to Kuwait aboard one of the four ``Doomsday'' airplanes designed to allow the President, the Defense Secretary or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to communicate from aloft in case of nuclear war.


The modified Boeing 747, called the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center, twice hooked up to tankers during the 14-hour flight, and crew members said the aircraft was chosen because of its ability to fly long distances without landing for fuel.


The surprise visit here was only the latest act in a drama that began in a prison west of Baghdad and is now playing out in the executive ring of the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and inside the White House.


Mr. Rumsfeld testified in back-to-back hearings before the Senate and House on Friday, and then on Monday hosted President Bush at the Pentagon, where Mr. Bush gave his Defense Secretary a full-throated endorsement. Before flying from Andrews Air Force Base on Wednesday, Mr. Rumsfeld was again grilled on Capitol Hill.


Also traveling with Mr. Rumsfeld was Vice Adm. Albert Church, the Navy inspector general, who spent May 6 and 7 at the military's detention facility at GuantÀanamo, Cuba.


Admiral Church said his inquiry ``documented eight minor infractions'' that he said ranged from humiliations to mild physical contact.


The eight cases included striking one detainee while handcuffed, improper use of pepper spray and giving one detainee a demeaning haircut.


Disciplinary action, which included letters of admonishment and reductions in rank, occurred rapidly after reports of the eight incidents, which occurred within the last 18 months to two years, reached commanders.


``Disciplinary action was taken quickly,'' Admiral Church said.


He said that the detention center at GuantÀanamo should continue to review a set of questions and complaints from inspectors from the International Committee of the Red Cross, but he gave no details.

cl-Libraone~

 


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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2004
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 4:46pm
My logic is not faulty and neither was the logic of the hypocrital American left-wing leaders until Howard Dean started getting votes by opposing our stance. Here's what the same hypocrites who are now blaming President Bush had to say about how critical it was for us to stop Saddam Hussain:

"e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." -- From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998

"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." -- From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham, Joe Lieberman, Harold Ford, & Tom Lantos among others

"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." -- Madeline Albright, 1998

"Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement." -- Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." -- Robert Byrd, October 2002

"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs." -- Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002

"The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow." -- Bill Clinton in 1998

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." -- Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002

"I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons...I saw evidence back in 1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving those trucks out." -- Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen in April of 2003

"Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them against his own people." -- Tom Daschle in 1998

"Saddam Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal." -- John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002

"I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction." -- Dick Gephardt in September of 2002

"Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." -- Al Gore, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." -- Bob Graham, December 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." -- Ted Kennedy, September 27, 2002

"I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to use force - if necessary - to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." -- John F. Kerry

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandates of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." -- Carl Levin, Sept 19, 2002

"Over the years, Iraq has worked to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. During 1991 - 1994, despite Iraq's denials, U.N. inspectors discovered and dismantled a large network of nuclear facilities that Iraq was using to develop nuclear weapons. Various reports indicate that Iraq is still actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability. There is no reason to think otherwise. Beyond nuclear weapons, Iraq has actively pursued biological and chemical weapons.U.N. inspectors have said that Iraq's claims about biological weapons is neither credible nor verifiable. In 1986, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran, and later, against its own Kurdish population. While weapons inspections have been successful in the past, there have been no inspections since the end of 1998. There can be no doubt that Iraq has continued to pursue its goal of obtaining weapons of mass destruction." -- Patty Murray, October 9, 2002

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." -- Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998

"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production." -- Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. And that may happen sooner if he can obtain access to enriched uranium from foreign sources -- something that is not that difficult in the current world. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." -- John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002

"Saddam’s existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose a very real threat to America, now. Saddam has used chemical weapons before, both against Iraq’s enemies and against his own people. He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East." -- John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002

"Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Administration’s policy towards Iraq, I don’t think there can be any question about Saddam’s conduct. He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do. He lies and cheats; he snubs the mandate and authority of international weapons inspectors; and he games the system to keep buying time against enforcement of the just and legitimate demands of the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States and our allies. Those are simply the facts." -- Henry Waxman, Oct 10, 2002

You see, the belief that we should do something BEFORE the threat became a reality was shared universally by both sides.

All I can say to your (ridiculous) assertion that the 7 soldiers actions were the root cause of this atrocity, is to watch the video. I really think you should, I think you would have a completely different view as to "root causes". Also, what was the root cause of Daniel Pearl's beheading, other than he was a Jew. There was no prisoner abuse then. These people are evil, and they brutally murder innocents because they are evil. They will kill us because we do not worship like them. They must be stopped no matter what it takes.

And with the opening of my eyes, my only hope is that we amp it up and get it over with. I no longer have any pity for these animals.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-05-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 5:59pm

And with the opening of my eyes, my only hope is that we amp it up and get it over with. I no longer have any pity for these animals.


And in doing so becoming the animal you desire to fight.

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