SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ABU GHRAIB

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002649 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC SECDEF FOR OASD/PA USCINCCENT FOR POLAD LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR ZEYA LONDON - PASS TO MOC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION: ABU GHRAIB ¶1. SUMMARY: AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" (CIRCULATION 85,000) NOTED THE NEW CONFESSIONS OF THE U.S. SOLDIER LINDA ENGLAND REVEALING THAT ALL OF THE TORTURE THAT WAS CONDUCTED AT ABU GHRAIB PRISON WAS RECEIVED WITH CONGRATULATIONS FROM HIGH RANKING OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THE EDITORIAL CLAIMED THAT THIS REVEALED THAT THE TORTURE WAS CONDONED AND APPROVED BY OFFICIALS IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, SUCH AS SECRETARY RUMSFELD. THESE TORTURES DISGRACED THE U.S. AND THE SIPDIS AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD START REALIZING WHAT BAD THINGS THIS ADMINISTRATION IS DOING AND REPRESENTING. END SUMMARY. ¶2. "THE NEW CONFESSIONS REVEALED BY THE U.S. SOLDIER LINDA ENGLAND REGARDING ABU GHRAIB PRISON AND THE BRUTAL TORTURES THAT TOOK PLACE THERE BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS AGAINST IRAQI PRISONERS MEANS THAT THIS SCANDAL WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE CURRENT AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION IF IT REMAINS IN THE WHITE HOUSE OR NOT. THE SOLDIER REVEALED THAT WHOEVER TORTURED THE PRISONERS WAS RECEIVED WITH CONGRATULATIONS FROM HIGH RANKING U.S. OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS, WHICH MEANS THAT THE TORTURE WAS A DECISION MADE BY HIGH POLITICAL LEVELS IN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION, ESPECIALLY SECRETARY OF DEFENCE DONALD RUMSFEILD. THIS IS WHY THE TRIAL OF SIPDIS THE LOW-RANKING SOLDIERS WHO TORTURED THE PRISONERS IS ONLY A DIVERSION OF THE REAL SOURCE OF IRAQI HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. THERE ARE HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS IN THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION THAT SHOULD BE TRIED - NOT THE LITTLE SCAPEGOATS. REGARDLESS, THE DISGRACE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE U.S. BECAUSE OF THESE BRUTAL ACTIONS IN ABU GHRAIB PRISON IN IRAQ WILL NOT BE ERASED EASILY, AND THERE ARE MORE SCANDALS BY THE OFFICIALS OF BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION TO BE REVEALED SOON. THE HOPE IS THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL REALIZE WHAT KIND OF ADMINISTRATION IS REPRESENTING THEM." ALBRIGHT