U.S.: Rumsfeld Potentially Criminally Liable for Torture

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/d4e77d346fb867426f293bb1dc0dafa1.htm

(New York, April 14, 2006) – Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld could be criminally liable for the torture of a detainee at Guantanamo Bay in late 2002 and early 2003, Human Rights Watch said today. A December 20, 2005 Army Inspector General's report, obtained by Salon.com this week, contains a sworn statement by Lt. Gen. Randall M. Schmidt that implicates Secretary Rumsfeld in the abuse of detainee Mohammad al-Qahtani. Based on an investigation that he carried out in early 2005, which included two interviews with Rumsfeld, Gen. Schmidt describes the defense secretary as being "personally involved" in al-Qahtani's interrogation.

Human Rights Watch urges the United States to name a special prosecutor to investigate the culpability of Rumsfeld and others in the al-Qahtani case.

"The question at this point is not whether Secretary Rumsfeld should resign, it's whether he should be indicted," said Joanne Mariner, Terrorism and Counterterrorism Program director at Human Rights Watch. "General Schmidt's sworn statement suggests that Rumsfeld may have been perfectly aware of the abuses inflicted on al-Qahtani."

Gen. Schmidt said that Secretary Rumsfeld was "talking weekly" with Gen. Miller about the al-Qahtani interrogation, and that the secretary of defense was "personally involved in the interrogation of one person." Schmidt's statement indicates that Rumsfeld maintained a high level of knowledge of and supervision over al-Qahtani's treatment. Although Schmidt said that he believed that Rumsfeld did not specifically order the more abusive methods used in the al-Qahtani interrogation, he concluded that Rumsfeld's policies facilitated the abuse.

[Dartagnan]

1. liable to BE tortured?

[IChing]

3. definition of liable:

responsible by law; legally answerable

welcome to DU noobe.

[Dartagnan]

7. thanks.

definition #3 of "liable" from answers.com

"Likely. Often used with reference to an unfavorable outcome: In a depression banks are liable to fail."

I think it's an older usage of the word. My grandmother used to tell me, "you're liable to break your neck!" all the time when I was a little kid....

[acmavm]

2. And like old bloody fingered Henry Kissenger, Rumsfeld will have to be

vary wary of the countries that he travels to.

[Tom Joad]

4. Glad to give this its 5th kick. Remember Pinochet.

These people will have to be careful where they travel to. Remember Pinochet! Maybe a decade from now a real opposition govt will rise up in the US, and they will be put on trial.

[Mr_Spock]

5. But what will we do without Rummy to pick on?

I like the maladministration the way it is - totally and completely disfunctional.

[Atman]

8. There are many more BushCo cabinet members left!

There's a bumper crop with this administration. We won't run out any time soon.

[Mr_Spock]

9. lol - perhaps - but a second chance I don't think they deserve

They need to go down with the soldiers they have, not the ones they wish they had :rofl:

[pretzel4gore]

6. like the doctor in 'the marathon man'

rumsfell has his precedents

[Swamp Rat]

10. Rumsfeld merits the harshest punishment our justice system can mete out.

[BreweryYardRat]

12. I'd prefer that label to be "Servant of Satan."

[WhiteTara]

11. ...alleged to have been a "20th hijacker???

So what was this big trial with Moussoui? These people are insane and I will be so glad when they are in jail

"Al-Qahtani, who is alleged to have been a "20th hijacker," was denied entry to the United States in August 2001. Pentagon spokesman Gordon told Salon.com on Thursday that al-Qahtani was an "al-Qaida terrorist" who provided a "treasure trove" of information during his interrogation. (The information al-Qahtani is said to have provided, however, is still classified.)"

More about his interrogation:

Gen. Schmidt said that Secretary Rumsfeld was "talking weekly" with Gen. Miller about the al-Qahtani interrogation, and that the secretary of defense was "personally involved in the interrogation of one person." Schmidt's statement indicates that Rumsfeld maintained a high level of knowledge of and supervision over al-Qahtani's treatment. Although Schmidt said that he believed that Rumsfeld did not specifically order the more abusive methods used in the al-Qahtani interrogation, he concluded that Rumsfeld's policies facilitated the abuse.

The Pentagon has acknowledged that al-Qahtani's mistreatment was not unplanned. "Al-Kahtani's interrogation was guided by a very detailed plan, conducted by trained professionals in a controlled environment, and with active supervision and oversight," wrote Jeffrey Gordon, a Pentagon spokesman, in an email to Salon.com. "Nothing was done randomly."
snip
After refusing water, al-Qahtani was forced to accept an intravenous drip for hydration and, on several occasions, was refused trips to a latrine, so that he urinated on himself at least twice. He was also threatened with forced enemas, and on one occasion was forced to undergo an enema.

"A six-week regime of sleep deprivation, forced exercises, stress positions, white noise, and sexual humiliation amounts to acts that were specifically intended to cause severe physical pain and suffering and severe mental pain and suffering," said Mariner. "That's the legal definition of torture."

[Disturbed]

13. No Rethug will be a part of indicting Rumsfailed.

Rumsfailed Admitted to Violating Geneva Convention

I personaly heard in 2005 Rumsfailed admit in public on TV that when CIA Director Tenet requested that an Iraqi prisoner be sent to a secret Afghan/US Prison that Rumsfailed did so. After four months a DOD Attorney stated that this was an illegal act. Rumsfailed then ordered that this prisoner be sent back to Abu Graihib but the prisoner was purposefully not listed at that location, also an illegal act. Rumsfeld also admitted to signing orders for tougher interogation methods which violated the Geneva Conventions.

Rumfailed has commited at least three violations of the Geneva Convention thereby also violations of The Constitution of the USA. Recently it has been found out that even more detainees were "ghost detainees". The fact that Rumsfailed and Tenet have not been charged speaks volumes. If Congress wishes to garner any respect they should move forward with Rep. Rangle's Impeachment Declaration of Rumsfailed and also prosecute Ex. CIA Tenet.

The US, Govt., Congress, and the Justice Dept no longer abide by the Geneva Convention or the Constitution of the USA.

[flordehinojos]

14. shackle him, throw him in jail, send him to Le Hague

[ginnyinWI]

15. if we have any democracy left

I would think that the people could push for an indictment and that would mean resignation--if we aren't a banana republic yet, that is.

[flordehinojos]

16. resignation is too mild a punishment for this criminal.