“I remember being so mad that I had trouble speaking,” – Sergeant Yonushonis, who witnessed the death-by-torture of an innocent man by U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan. He had to provide details voluntarily because investigators never approached him. I hope those who have been led to believe that the abuse of detainees occurred only at Abu Ghraib, that they were merely “fraternity high jinx” or represented in some way legitimate ways to procure intelligence, will read this story. I do not believe that Sergeant Yonushonis is “naive” or “excitable.” Or that his “squeamishness” is somehow inappropriate in defending civilization. Recall: this investigation was triggered by two murders. What happened when the abuse didn’t reach the level of murder? And will we ever know?
THE RED CROSS REPORTS: We now know that the International Red Cross compiled records of allegations of mistreatment of the Koran at Gitmo:
Simon Schorno, a spokesman for the Red Cross committee, declined yesterday to discuss the details in the reports of how Koran was handled and would not say whether any reports involved a Koran’s being flushed down a toilet.
He said the committee received “multiple allegations” of abuse of the Koran from the detainees. He said workers for the committee, which monitors the treatment of prisoners of war and works in tandem with the military to ensure that the Geneva Conventions are followed, did not witness any of the reported incidents.
Mr. Schorno said the committee began receiving the accusations in 2002, when the detainees first arrived in Guantánamo, and they continued until mid-2003. The reports were “substantial enough for us to bring to the attention of authorities,” he said, and included information not only from detainees but also from military personnel.
After the Red Cross submitted its reports, he said, complaints from detainees stopped.
Soon, we will find out. Prediction: the smearing of the Red Cross, already underway in places like the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, will intensify.
A CONFEDERATE FLAG?? I just want to point out something in the NYT story:
One captain nicknamed members of the Third Platoon “the Testosterone Gang.” Several were devout bodybuilders. Upon arriving in Afghanistan, a group of the soldiers decorated their tent with a Confederate flag, one soldier said. Some of the same M.P.’s took a particular interest in an emotionally disturbed Afghan detainee who was known to eat his feces and mutilate himself with concertina wire. The soldiers kneed the man repeatedly in the legs and, at one point, chained him with his arms straight up in the air, Specialist Callaway told investigators. They also nicknamed him “Timmy,” after a disabled child in the animated television series “South Park.” One of the guards who beat the prisoner also taught him to screech like the cartoon character, Specialist Callaway said.
Were there any African-American soldiers there? What has happened to discipline and unit cohesion in the armed services?
The Dish 