US Army Report Says Rumsfeld “Personally Involved” in “Degrading and Abusive” Treatment of Detainees

Yesterday it emerged that Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, was “personally involved” in “degrading and abusive” treatment of detainees in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. These are direct quotes from a US Army report on al-Qaida completed by the Army Inspector General. The report was filed in December, but the fact that Rumsfeld was personally involved in degrading and abusive treatment of detainees was kept quiet until yesterday. Those details were leaked by senior military officials to Salon.com magazine. Recently at least seven generals and several other high ranking officials of the US military have called for Rumsfeld to be fired for his incompetence and mismanagement of the Iraq War. So far, only junior officers and non-coms have been charged and convicted for a string of prisoner abuse scandals. Again this report shows Rumsfeld was “personally involved” in “degrading and abusive” treatment of detainees. President Bush responded by saying, “Secretary Rumsfeld's energetic and steady leadership is exactly what is needed at this critical period. He has my full support and deepest appreciation.”