RUMSFELD PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN HARSH TREATMENT OF DETAINEE - Salon

[kpete]

What Rumsfeld knew
Salon
Interviews with high-ranking military officials shed new light on the role Rumsfeld played in the harsh treatment of a Guantánamo detainee.

By Michael Scherer and Mark Benjamin
April 14, 2006 |

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was personally involved in the late 2002 interrogation of a high-value al-Qaida detainee known in intelligence circles as "the 20th hijacker." He also communicated weekly with the man in charge of the interrogation, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, the controversial commander of the Guantánamo Bay detention center.

During the same period, detainee Mohammed al-Kahtani suffered from what Army investigators have called "degrading and abusive" treatment by soldiers who were following the interrogation plan Rumsfeld had approved. Kahtani was forced to stand naked in front of a female interrogator, was accused of being a homosexual, and was forced to wear women's underwear and to perform "dog tricks" on a leash. He received 18-to-20-hour interrogations during 48 of 54 days.
.....................

These disclosures are contained in a Dec. 20, 2005, Army inspector general's report on Miller's conduct, which was obtained this week by Salon through the Freedom of Information Act. The 391-page document -- which has long passages blacked out by the government -- concludes that Miller should not be punished for his oversight role in detainee operations, a fact that was reported last month by Time magazine. But the never-before-released full report also includes the transcripts of interviews with high-ranking military officials that shed new light on the role that Rumsfeld and Miller played in the harsh treatment of Kahtani, who had met with Osama bin Laden on several occasions and received terrorist training in al-Qaida camps.

In a sworn statement to the inspector general, Schmidt described Rumsfeld as "personally involved" in the interrogation and said that the defense secretary was "talking weekly" with Miller. Schmidt said he concluded that Rumsfeld did not specifically prescribe the more "creative" interrogation methods used on Kahtani. But he added that the open-ended policies Rumsfeld approved, and that the apparent lack of supervision of day-to-day interrogations permitted the abusive conduct to take place. "Where is the throttle on this stuff?" asked Schmidt, an Air Force fighter pilot, who said in his interview under oath with the inspector general that he had concerns about the length and repetition of the harsh interrogation methods. "There were no limits."

more (after short ad) at:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/04/14/rummy/

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I believe one of those special seats in Hell is reserved for Rumsfeld,

right alongside Bush, Cheney and Rove.

[jberryhill]

8. These People Are Not Americans

I would take 11 million hardworking illegal immigrants over this bunch any day.

[Canuckistanian]

16. He's not even human

Rumsfeld should be relegated to the dark corners of history reserved for monsters such as Mengele, Pol Pot and Ratko Mladić of Serbia.

[midnight]

55. I couldn't agree with you more.

It almost sounds like a sound bite for an election message.

[joemurphy]

2. Rumsfeld is a worthless piece of shit.

His actions have defamed this country in the eyes of the world and have brought discredit to the Constitution he swore to serve and protect.

We need to get rid of him. He's been a disaster.

[LisaLynne]

3. I don't believe I believed in true evil ...

until I became acquainted with Rumsfeld. There are no words for that despicable man. No words.

[nashville_brook]

4. i thought moussaoui was "the 20th highjacker"

[frylock]

47. me too

[Arkham House]

5. Rumsfeld was watching too many episodes of "24"...

--I swear to God...these people take their pornographic fantasies literally...

[janx]

6. Precedent for Abu Ghraib.

This is it.

[Rex]

7. Rummy wrestled his personal Panda in Vaseline while they tortured

Mr X. The glee in the suffering of others by Rummy has earned him the title of Ghoul by more than one person.

[Swamp Rat]

13. Great pic!

:kick:

[Canuckistanian]

17. "The Ghoul"

What makes a man, seemingly normal, brought up in the genteel and peaceful surroundings of Evanston ,Illinois, such a cold-hearted killer?

It astounds me that he calls himself part of civilized society...

[Synnical]

9. In a sworn statement . . . Schmidt described Rumsfeld

In a sworn statement to the inspector general, Schmidt described Rumsfeld as "personally involved"

When will this administration be called to task for the human rights abuse? When?

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

[Maven]

10. "was accused of being a homosexual"

I'm so tired of seeing shit like this. :eyes:

[Occulus]

29. It's cultural

That accusation is about the most degrading one to make for him. That's not justification, mind you; it's a reason.

Am I tired of it too? Yes, but there's no way we're ever going to change some cultures so that that is not the case, so that these sorts of accusations aren't 'effective'. In Rummy's mind.

Hope I was clear enough on that to be understood...

[Jack Rabbit]

11. The home for retired neoconservatives . . .

United Nations Prison, The Hague

[blitzen]

12. General Swannick: "He [Rumsfeld] has culpability related to the Abu

Gharaib prison scandel." Now that's a nice zinger!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/04/13/iraq.rumsfeld/index.html

[truth2power]

42. That picture of Rummy, Janis Karpinski

and some other dude (can't remember) standing in the cell block at Abu Ghraib...Rummy has his coat thrown over his shoulder. I've always thought that was a creepy pic.

I think Rummy was there to "watch".

Disgusting, evil, waste of oxygen! :puke:

[daleo]

14. Personally involved

That hints at quite a bit.

[proud patriot]

15. What is lower than scum

Tag , rummy you're it .

[RagAss]

18. Coward...

[troubleinwinter]

19. He must be indicted for these crimes. He must not get away with it.

Indicted and prosecuted and convicted and incarcerated. This is despicable and hideous and heinous.

[wordpix]

33. if anyone's a war criminal, it's Rummy. Of course, * lets him do what he

wants b/c * is such an idiot.

[cynatnite]

20. Dumb question...

where is the sponsor logo?

I can't get to the rest of the article.

[kpete]

25. Right below the red arrow

labeled
The Great Quake

then short ad

and you are there

[cynatnite]

28. no red arrow, no great quake

it's not on the web page anywhere. :shrug:

I really hate salon sometimes.

[kpete]

36. So sorry

I have had no problem after repeatedly checking the link.

Maybe someone else has some advice.

Peace...

[kpete]

38. Here is another link

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Salon_Rumsfeld_personally_involved_in_interrogation_0414.html

[lovuian]

21. He is way TOO OLD to be in that position!!!

and he is sick mentally!!!

[Bad Penny]

22. nt

[newyawker99]

23. Hi Bad Penny!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Bad Penny]

30. Hello

:hi: That elephant and I have traveled the universe together

[donkeyotay]

24. If Rummy authorized what is illegal, where did his authority come from?

The whole premise these treasonous rat bastard destroyers of America are working on is that war justifies the means, making the Unitary Executive above the law. The President can authorize torture to keep us "safe." Otherwise, he'd have Rummy's ass thrown in jail already for harming the country and breaking the law.

[wordpix]

32. one pundit last night said that * gives Rummy a free hand - no oversight

[SoulGlo]

26. Forced to perform dog tricks

on a leash? Sounds like my sex life....
Seriously, what the hell happened to "compassionate conservatives"? These people make me sick with all the christian rhetoric and unchrist-like behavior.

[BlueStorm]

51. Yeah, ya gotta wonder...

If they really are subconsciously acting out their sexual fantasies on these people.

Blue

[Jeffersons Ghost]

27. kick

[The Wizard]

31. Rummy, Secretary of S&M

Did Rummy get permission from Abu Gonzalez first? This whole cabal has done more damage to this country than anyone could have imagined.
19 guys with box cutters did more damage than a nuclear armed Soviet Union, and our solution is to spend more on defense programs that are nothing more than payoffs to defense contractors.
I see Rummy wearing a leather mask with a bull whip gripped by his sphincter, like in the Mapplethorpe exhibition. Is Rummy Gannon/Guckert's bottom? Someone in the White House is.

[wordpix]

34. "Sec of S&M"---I love it! How sadly true

[NNN0LHI]

35. I just knew these sick fucks were getting their rocks off on this shit

Its nice to see it confirmed.

Don

[Jose Diablo]

37. This sheds new light on Rumsfield wearing undershorts with ice cubes

Are these people even human?

[90-percent]

39. Rummy is living proof......

Rummy is living proof S&M and being Secretary of War do not mix.

-85% Jimmy

[Festivito]

40. Just a few bad apples, aka, the Bush* administration. /nt

[Danieljay]

41. One of the retired generals said Rumsfeld was involved with Abu Ghraib

Prisoner abuse.

"Specifically, I feel he has micromanaged the generals who are leading our forces there," Swannack said in the telephone interview.

"And I believe he has culpability associated with the Abu Ghraib prison scandal and, so, rather than admitting these mistakes, he continually justifies them to the press ... and that really disallows him from moving our strategy forward."

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

43. Bet it went something like this.....

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/082405Z.shtml

"It was a memorandum signed by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld, authorizing a short list, maybe 6 or 8 techniques: use of dogs; stress positions; loud music; deprivation of food; keeping the lights on, those kinds of things," Karpinski said. "And then a handwritten message over to the side that appeared to be the same handwriting as the signature, and that signature was Secretary Rumsfeld's. And it said, 'Make sure this happens' with two exclamation points. And that was the only thing they had. Everything else had been confiscated."

[TankLV]

44. Where is the OUTRAGE! Where is the media FIRESTORM!?!?

What the fuck does it take for the amerikkkan SHEEPLE to be OUTRAGED?

I am so ashamed of my country right now - the leadership and the 50% or more that goes quietly along.

There should be demonstrations in the streets, etc.

[butterfly77]

50. I've been outraged so long ...

I have started to become numb. If and when people finally wakeup it may be too late. I am surprised that everyday there is another outrageous thing that comes out and these brainwashed repugs just keep praising and worshipping these evil .....

[twaddler01]

45. Oh come on! * says he is a great guy!

:sarcasm:

[frylock]

46. the 20th hijacker?!

I thought that distinction belonged to Crazy Zac Moussaoui.

[magellan]

49. I was going to say that too -- isn't that what they call Moussaoui?

Maybe it's like killing al Qaeda's #3...how many times has the #3 been killed?

[butterfly77]

48. No surprise here...

just like I have always known that Bush and cheney gave the information about Valerie Plame, they can spin till the heads fall off I have never believed the arrogant---------s

[LibertyorDeath]

52. Nixon on Rumsfeld

"He's a ruthless little bastard...". Richard M. Nixon

http://www.whitehousetapes.org/clips/rmn_rumsfeld.html

With a recommendation like that you know your going places
hopefully all the way to The Hague for this "little bastard"

[VolcanoJen]

53. K&R

:dem:

[Englander]

54. Rummy = not human.

[midnight]

Death Man.

He always resembled a skull with cross and bones image.

[midnight]

56. Death Man.

He always resembled a skull with cross and bones image.