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Iraq
General Says Abu Ghraib Officer Lied
2006-10-17
FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) - The highest-ranking officer charged with crimes at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq allowed detainee abuses and then lied about it, a general who investigated the scandal testified Monday. Maj. Gen. George Fay, who wrote a report on mistreatment of detainees at the prison, testified at a hearing to determine whether the director of the prison's interrogation center should be court-martialed.
I just checked my calendar, and yes, there *is* an election coming up in three weeks.
Fay said his investigation found that Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan was in charge of the center, despite Jordan's insistence to Fay that he was just a liaison between the center and superior officers. Fay said Jordan knew about some of the abuses and did not stop them. He said Jordan ``told us a story that was deceptive and it was misleading, and he tried to avoid responsibility for his role at Abu Ghraib.''

Jordan, 50, of Fredericksburg, Va., is charged with 12 offenses, including one count of cruelty and maltreatment for allegedly subjecting detainees to forced nudity and intimidation by dogs. He faces a maximum of 42 years in prison if convicted of all counts.

Fay said that when he asked Jordan if he had seen prisoners stripped naked, Jordan told him he had, but that the nudity had nothing to do with interrogations.

Under cross-examination, Fay acknowledged that Jordan had reported some abusive episodes. He also testified that the Pentagon's rules regarding harsh interrogation techniques, such as the use of dogs, had gone through several rapid changes in late 2003, confounding workers at Abu Ghraib. ``It was a confusing situation,'' Fay said.

Defense attorney Maj. Kris Poppe said in opening statements that Jordan was thrust into an unfamiliar, ill-defined role in an ad hoc command structure. Poppe said most of the abuses at Abu Ghraib were committed by rogue military police soldiers who were not under Jordan's command. ``In the end, we believe the story will show to you that Col. Jordan did not commit criminal misconduct,'' Poppe told hearing officer Col. Daniel Cummings.

Prosecutor Lt. Col. John P. Tracy said Jordan had embarrassed the Army by ignoring the abuse. He said Jordan had not personally committed egregious acts but that his negligence created an atmosphere conducive to mistreatment.

Jordan, a military intelligence reservist, was director of the interrogation center from mid-September through late November 2003, when detainees were physically abused, threatened with dogs and sexually humiliated. He is now assigned to the Intelligence and Security Command at Fort Belvoir, Va.

Jordan's supervisor at Abu Ghraib, Col. Thomas Pappas, was reprimanded and fined $8,000 for once approving the use of dogs during an interrogation without higher approval. Several other officers have been reprimanded for their roles in the abuse. Eleven lower-ranking soldiers have also been convicted in the scandal.
Posted by:Steve White

#9  The highest-ranking officer charged with crimes at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq allowed detainee abuses and then lied about it.

Does this mean that female General was not charged? Or is this incorrect.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2006-10-17 13:14  

#8  what if he did follow orders.
Posted by: sinse   2006-10-17 10:37  

#7  Abu Ghraib hurt the country and the war effort. It was a PR disaster. Every one involved was derelict in their duty.

Easy to say when you weren't there, I agree. But if Lynndie England, at the bottom of the food chain deserves 3 years for it, this guy deserves 7. He was supposed to be the adult supervision. He didn't have to like the orders. He didn't even have to agree with them. He just had to follow them and he didn't. Action meet consequences.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-10-17 09:01  

#6  "Jordan, is charged with 12 offenses, including one count of cruelty and maltreatment for allegedly subjecting detainees to forced nudity and intimidation by dogs."

-big deal. Give him a medal I say. We were not exactly housing recipients of the father of the year award or saviours of orphaned baby ducks.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2006-10-17 08:18  

#5  Well, now that it's been handed over to the Iraqis, I'm sure it's a model of human rights and tough-but-kind justice.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2006-10-17 07:59  

#4  I was thinking that things in Iraq must be going well as there have been The Lancet Lie and now yet more Abu Graib.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles in Blairistan   2006-10-17 07:44  

#3  ``It was a confusing situation,'' Fay said. ......but we're out to boink somebody real good (me and Tony) and I'm enjoying this active duty as a two star and making twice as much as I did with the Chubb Group.

Posted by: Besoeker   2006-10-17 07:14  

#2  Fay said that when he asked Jordan if he had seen prisoners stripped naked, Jordan told him he had, but that the nudity had nothing to do with interrogations.

Naked prisoners. Never happens in federal or state prisons or local lockups I'm sure. Nope, never. No one ain't seen a single naked prisoners in any of them fancy civilian confinement facilities. Never need to do a full body examination for any reason. Cause them are just regular fellows you know. That's how they ended up in the joint in the first place. Just being one of the boys. Heh.
Posted by: Procopius2K   2006-10-17 07:07  

#1  General Says Abu Ghraib Officer Lied

did Fred bury that poor dead horse?
Posted by: RD   2006-10-17 01:12  

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