http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/5/9/125039/9330
A US congressman and former army lawyer in the 1991 Gulf War said that the
army wanted to send him to Iraq a year ago to supervise prisoner
interrogation, but the civilian military command rejected the move.
Representative Stephen Buyer -- a Republican from the midwestern state of
Indiana and a lieutenant-colonel in the army reserve -- told CNN that as a
result there was "a complete breakdown in the chain of command" at the Abu
Ghraib prison, where US troops are accused of having abused Iraqi prisoners.
Buyer had served as a senior judge advocate in prisoner of war camps during
the 1991 Gulf War.
"There were only two of us. We were experienced in dealing with Geneva
Convention prisoners of war, international law and operational law," he
said.
Had he been sent to Iraq, Buyer said, "I assure you I would have had judge
advocates (military lawyers) at these camps. I know how important that is.
The JAG (judge advocate general) officers are the conscience of the law."
Buyer said he was identified a year ago by his army reserve unit as a likely
prospect for duty in Iraq because of his background. Army reserve officials
coordinated with the active army, he said, and even sent the request to the
office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The uniformed military wanted me to go," he said. "It was the
political-civilian leadership in the office of the Secretary of Defense that
said 'No'" ...
He said initial military investigations into the abuses as Abu Ghraib prison
showed that judge advocates "should have been at the joint interrogations
facilities. That's obvious. I was stunned that the lessons learned from the
first Gulf war were not used."
--
Yang
a.a. #28
AthD (h.c.) conferred by the regents of the LCL
a.a. pastor #-273.15, the most frigid church of Celcius nee Kelvin
EAC Econometric Forecast and Socerey Division
Proudly plonked by Lani Girl and Crazyalec
The Bush 'balanced' budget: 1.2 trillion and worsening
The Bush 'economic' policy: -3 million jobs and counting
The Bush Iraq lie: -770 GIs, one friend's co-worker's son and mounting
Having Bush ***** up my country: Worthless
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