by Peachtree Pam » Thu Aug 11, 2005 6:07 am
On Fintan Dunne's audio today a link was mentioned between Jones, who takes over from Byrnes and the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal. The Times today suggests that Byrnes was fired "in an apparent attempt to reaffirm the American military's high moral standards". Pardon me while I laugh.<br>------------<br><br>Was Jones job to make sure higher ranking officers were exonerated?<br><br><br>This is from Amnesty site:<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.amnestyusa.org/stoptorture/agfactsheet.html">www.amnestyusa.org/stopto...sheet.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>(snip)<br><br> The Fay / Jones Report – An internal army report led by Major General George R. Fay and Lieutenant General Anthony R. Jones examining the role of military intelligence forces at Abu Ghraib. The investigation did not examine the role of officers higher than Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez and none of the civilian leadership. (August 25, 2004)<br><br>(snip)<br><br>Results<br>One year later, where does the United States stand on investigations and accountability for detainee abuse?<br><br>- 400 – Number of specific recommendations for improvements in detainee operations resulting from various reports and investigations as of March 10, 2005. <br>- 370 - Number of criminal investigations addressing allegations of detainee mistreatment completed according to Secretary Rumsfeld. <br>- 140 – Number of allegations against military members that have been addressed in courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, and other adverse administrative action, according to a US Army news release dated June 2, 2005. <br>- 10 years – Longest sentence any soldier has received for assault and maltreatment of detainees. <br>- 27 – Number of detainee deaths in custody ruled a homicide by the Army Criminal Investigation Command as of March 25, 2005. <br>- 3 years – Longest sentence any soldier has received for the death of a detainee in custody. <br>- 0 – Number of high-level military or civilian leaders held accountable for policies or practices that lead to abuse of detainees and deaths in custody. <br><br><br>-------------------------<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2004/d20040825fay.pdf">www.defenselink.mil/news/...825fay.pdf</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>EXECUTIVE SUMMARY<br>Investigation of Intelligence Activities At Abu Ghraib<br><br>Background<br><br>This investigation was ordered initially by LTG Ricardo S. Sanchez, Commander, Combined Joint Task Force Seven (CJTF-7). LTG Sanchez appointed MG George R.<br>Fay as investigating officer under the provisions of Army Regulation 381-10, Procedure15. MG Fay was appointed to investigate allegations that members of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade (205 MI BDE) were involved in detainee abuse at the Abu Ghraib Detention Facility. Specifically, MG Fay was to determine whether 205 MI BDE personnel requested, encouraged, condoned, or solicited Military Police (MP) personnel to abuse detainees and whether MI personnel comported with established interrogation procedures and applicable laws and regulations.<br><br>On 16 June 2004, Acting Secretary of the Army R. L. Brownlee appointed General Paul J. Kern, Commander, US Army Materiel Command (AMC), as the new Procedure 15 appointing authority. On 25 June 2004, GEN Kern appointed LTG Anthony R. Jones, Deputy Commanding General, US Army Training and Doctrine Command, as<br>an additional Procedure 15 investigating officer. MG Fay was retained as an investigating officer.<br><br>Without reinvestigating areas reviewed by MG Fay, LTG Jones was specifically directed to focus on whether organizations or personnel higher than the 205th MI BDE<br>chain of command, or events and circumstances outside of the 205th MI Brigade, were involved, directly or indirectly, in the questionable activities regarding alleged detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. <br><br>--------------<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.crimesofwar.org/news-detainees.html">www.crimesofwar.org/news-detainees.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>U.S. Army Clears Senior Officers of Responsibility for Detainee Abuse <br><br>By Anthony Dworkin<br> <br> According to several news reports, the U.S. Army's Inspector General has cleared four senior Army officers of responsibility for the abuses against detainees carried out in Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The investigation concluded that the officers -- including Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the senior commander in Iraq from June 2003 -- should not be held liable for any wrongdoing or failure of leadership, according to comments by officials on Friday April 21.<br><br>The Inspector General's investigation, which followed a request from the Senate Armed Services Committee last September, was intended to be the Army's final judgement on whether senior officers should be held accountable for the abuses in Abu Ghraib. Earlier investigations -- including the Army investigation headed by Lt. Gen. Anthony R. Jones and Maj. Gen. George R. Fay and the independent Schlesinger investigation -- did not have the power to recommend disciplinary action.<br><br>(snip)<br><br>Apart from Lt. Gen. Sanchez, the other officers who have been cleared by the Inspector General -- all key members of Sanchez' team in the autumn of 2003 when the worst abuses occurred -- are Sanchez' deputy, Maj. Gen. Walter Wojdakowski, intelligence officer Maj. Gen. Barbara Fast and legal officer Col. Marc Warren.<br><br> --------------<br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/10/politics/10general.html">www.nytimes.com/2005/08/1...neral.html</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>(snip)<br><br>Lt. Gen. Anthony R. Jones, who last year helped oversee an inquiry into detainee abuse in Iraq by American military intelligence personnel, has been named acting head of the command, Army officials said Tuesday. In April, Lt. Gen. William Wallace was nominated to be the new permanent commander, but the Senate has not yet confirmed his promotion to the four-star job. <br><br><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>