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Officials Unaware Of Prison Rules |
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Marine Gen. Peter Pace,
vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul
Wolfowitz appeared Thursday before the Senate Armed
Services Committee. The panel is trying to determine if the prisoner abuse
was limited to a small group of soldiers at the Abu Ghraib
prison or if the problem was more widespread and military leaders were
involved. Photos of hooded, naked
Iraqi prisoners being sexually humiliated and apparently injured by their
American captors have touched off an international outcry. Pentagon officials
say the treatment in the pictures goes well beyond approved interrogation
techniques. But the approved
techniques have also raised concerns on the committee. A summary of
"Interrogation Rules of Engagement" provided to senators by Army
officials says that, with a general's written approval, prisoners could be
subjected to stressful positions for up to 45 minutes, isolation for more
than 30 days, military dogs and up to 72 hours of "sleep
management." Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I.,
said he believed the policy would allow prisoners to be held "naked,
with a bag over their head, squatting with their arms uplifted for 45
minutes." Both Pace and Wolfowitz said such treatment would appear to violate the
Geneva Conventions. But they said they weren't familiar with the
interrogation techniques approved for use in The Pentagon late
Thursday issued a statement saying the scenario Reed described would be
"contrary to our regulations. Senator Reed is mistaken." As senators pursue
their inquiry, they are expected to call other top military officials.
Senators have particularly expressed interest in hearing from Undersecretary
of Defense Douglas Feith; Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez,
the top Speaking to reporters
Thursday, Miller defended his role in advising "I'm absolutely
convinced we laid down the foundations for how you detain people
humanely," said Miller, former commander of the Miller gave a tour of
Abu Ghraib on Thursday to Defense Secretary Donald
H. Rumsfeld, who made a surprise visit to Rumsfeld called the controversy
surrounding the prison a "body blow for all of us" and said the
people who did wrong will be punished. "You can be
absolutely certain that the abuses of a few are not going to change how we
manage this force," Rumsfeld told troops.
"We need all of you to make this thing work for our country." Rumsfeld also held out hope to his
war-weary audience that international troops may soon arrive to augment their
ranks. He said "I'm encouraged. I
think we'll find that we will get additional forces," Rumsfeld said. He did not specify which or how many
countries are involved, saying only "we're probably talking to a couple
of handfuls, maybe three handfuls of nations." |
