http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=s ... 2&ncid=716Officials Unaware of Interrogation Rules
1 hour, 28 minutes ago Add White House - AP Cabinet & State to My Yahoo!
By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon (news - web sites)'s No. 2 general and the deputy defense secretary said they were unaware of interrogation rules approved for use in Iraq (news - web sites) allowing the use of dogs or days of sleep deprivation.
AP Photo
AP Photo
Slideshow: Iraq Prisoner Abuse Investigation
Latest headlines:
· Powell says Iraqis could like occupation
Chicago Tribune - 3 minutes ago
· Sacred Shiite Shrine Suffers Minor Damage
AP - 9 minutes ago
· Sistani Aide Asks U.S. Forces, Militia to Quit Najaf
Reuters - 26 minutes ago
Special Coverage
Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz appeared Thursday before the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites). The panel is trying to determine if the prisoner abuse was limited to a small group of soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison or if the problem was more widespread and military leaders were involved.
Photos of hooded, naked Iraqi prisoners being sexually humiliated and apparently injured by their American captors have touched off an international outcry. Pentagon officials say the treatment in the pictures goes well beyond approved interrogation techniques.
But the approved techniques have also raised concerns on the committee. A summary of "Interrogation Rules of Engagement" provided to senators by Army officials says that, with a general's written approval, prisoners could be subjected to stressful positions for up to 45 minutes, isolation for more than 30 days, military dogs and up to 72 hours of "sleep management."
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said he believed the policy would allow prisoners to be held "naked, with a bag over their head, squatting with their arms uplifted for 45 minutes."
Both Pace and Wolfowitz said such treatment would appear to violate the Geneva Conventions. But they said they weren't familiar with the interrogation techniques approved for use in Iraq.
The Pentagon late Thursday issued a statement saying the scenario Reed described would be "contrary to our regulations. Senator Reed is mistaken."
As senators pursue their inquiry, they are expected to call other top military officials. Senators have particularly expressed interest in hearing from Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith; Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the top U.S. commander in Iraq; and Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, the commander of Abu Ghraib.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Miller defended his role in advising U.S. authorities last fall on how to set up a detention and interrogation system in Iraq that could yield useful intelligence on the insurgency.
"I'm absolutely convinced we laid down the foundations for how you detain people humanely," said Miller, former commander of the U.S. prison compound at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Miller gave a tour of Abu Ghraib on Thursday to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, who made a surprise visit to Iraq in hopes of containing the scandal.
Rumsfeld called the controversy surrounding the prison a "body blow for all of us" and said the people who did wrong will be punished.
"You can be absolutely certain that the abuses of a few are not going to change how we manage this force," Rumsfeld told troops. "We need all of you to make this thing work for our country."
Rumsfeld also held out hope to his war-weary audience that international troops may soon arrive to augment their ranks. He said U.S. officials were engaged in talks with nations "that have capabilities to bring forces in," and those discussions were going well.
"I'm encouraged. I think we'll find that we will get additional forces," Rumsfeld said. He did not specify which or how many countries are involved, saying only "we're probably talking to a couple of handfuls, maybe three handfuls of nations."
