"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...
George Z. Bush wrote:

From the beginning of the conflict captured Iraqis (including Saddam
Hussain)
were accorded everything due them in the Geneva convention.

If that were the case, why did the International Red Cross repeatedly
advise
us
both verbally and in writing since
February 2004 that there were systemic
failures in the treatment of detainees in Iraq

You're not following the argument George. I agree, this winter when things
started to turn into a full blown insurgency, our jailors began to act
unlawfully. What "Walt" is arguing is that since the beginning (March
2003) of
OIF, Iraqi PWs have been abused. According to Walt, its because Bush
ordered
it, or somehow (through his "behavior") condoned it. I'm not arguing with
what
happened this winter, but if you and Walt believe that this was the
standard
since combat ops began, you're ignoring facts. The Red Cross had access to
Iraqi PWs since April 2003, they didn't report abuses until this past
winter.

Why did nobody in
our government pay attention, or investigate, or do anything about
cleaning
up
the mess until a couple of weeks ago, when the stuff hit the fan and
became
public knowledge?

Investigations were begun before this became public a few weeks ago. Why
was no
immediate action taken as soon as the Red Cross report was provided? My
guess
is because those who read the report didn't believe it. Prior to seeing
the
pictures I wouldn't have believed it either.

We don't really know much about *what* the ICRC was actually reporting--the
only specific example I have seen so far released to the press was that they
mentioned they were concerned over keeping prisoners in unlit cells, which
would appear to be not only a pretty trivial concern but also understandable
as the lights were out across a goodly portion of Iraq during the first few
months after we took over.

Brooks

snip