U.S. finds 'torture chambers' in Iraq

[Barrett808]

WASHINGTON - The senior commander of U.S. and Iraqi forces in northern Iraq said Friday that a small number of "torture chambers" apparently used for sectarian violence were discovered along the Diyala River.

Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Turner II, whose area of responsibility stretches from the Iranian border north to Turkey and west to the Syrian border, told reporters at the Pentagon that two or three small rooms were found in May or June. He mentioned them as examples of sectarian strife that has spread from Baghdad to other parts of Iraq.

"We do see that migration," he said when asked about a Pentagon report to Congress last week that expressed concern that sectarian violence was spreading beyond the Iraqi capital, where it is most intense and widespread.

Turner estimated that the torture chambers were about 6 feet wide and 6 feet long. He did not give their exact location. He said they were along the Diyala River, which runs northeast of Baghdad toward the Iranian border.

"What it included were places where shackles were attached to walls, batteries, and other evidence of torture," he said.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060908/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq

[mtnester]

1. Did Haliburton build them? n/t

[VegasWolf]

2. Yes, in Abu Gharib. nt

[sabra]

3. but what about Hannity's talking point?

[Solly Mack]

4. Well, gee, I'm sure they were just for "enhanced interrogation procedures"

to better obtain needed information to protect themselves. It's all in the interests of their national security and people just have to understand that this is a war for their very way of life.

Besides, I'm sure whatever happened there was "safe,lawful and necessary"

Right, Bush? Right?

[Say_What]

12. Yeah, *alternative procedures*... n/t

[CoffeeCat]

5. Excuse me...

...but the entire country is one big torture chamber.

Hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians are dead. Electricity
and running water are scarce.

Most of the population can't get their children to school or go to the market--without fear of being blown up.

Gas lines are seven miles long.

Thousands are homeless and living in tents.

Iraqis fear for their lives--on a day-to-day basis.

Violence happens every day.

Civil war is happening.

The entire country is one big torture chamber. That small room with shackles, batteries and "evidence of torture" is a microcosm of the entire country.

Torturous failure.

[soothsayer]

6. Shackles and batteries? That's child's play compared to our

methods

[gratuitous]

7. Shackles and batteries are evidence of torture?

What would that mean to an impartial observer of our methods? Shackles are evidence of torture? Like the shackles our guys use when waterboarding a prisoner? Or are they special "torture" shackles, totally distinguishable from good old all-American red, white, and blue shackles?

[anotherdrew]

8. SO WHAT? Saddam was just doing the same thing as we do n/t

[daleo]

9. Did they find any "waterboarding" materials?

Any hooded people on boxes, hooked up to wires? Any vicious dogs used to lunging at naked prisoners?

Oh, that's right, according to Bush and Rummy those things aren't torture.

[JNelson6563]

10. Save us a few $$ instead of building new

recycle, reduce, re-use!

[gorbal]

11. Probaby some of those "Secret CIA Prisons"

Seriously, are they still trying to show us how "horrible" Hussein was. We get the idea already, now prove to us that we aren't worse. That is the kinda proof I want to see.