May 20, 2004
TOP STORIES
Disputed Strike By U.S. Military Leaves At Least 40 Iraqis Dead
[New York Times, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
U.S. forces killed nearly 40 Iraqis in an attack near they Syrian border.
American officials said troops had fired on a suspected guerrilla safe
house, but Iraqis said a wedding party was strafed. U.S. officials said air
support was called after an American military operation in the area had come
under fire.
Soldier Gets 1 Year In Abuse Of Iraqis
'I Let Everybody Down,' He Says After Guilty Plea
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
Spc. Jeremy Sivits was sentenced to a year in prison for his role in abusing
Iraqis at Abu Ghraib prison. He has agreed to testify against six other
accused Americans.
Sergeant Says Intelligence Directed Abuse
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
Sgt. Samuel Provance said military intelligence officers directed MPs at Abu
Ghraib prison to take clothes from prisoners, leave detainees naked in their
cells and make them wear women's underwear. These specifics were openly
discussed at the facility, he said. Provance is the first military
intelligence soldier to speak openly about the Abu Ghraib issue.
General Blames Poor Guidance For Prison Abuse
Commander details several flaws in the system that went undetected for
months while mistreatment of detainees continued.
[Los Angeles Times, May 20, 2004]
Gen. John Abizaid told Congress that a lack of clear rules from the highest
levels of his command may have created the climate for abuses at Abu Ghraib
prison.
Dozens Killed In U.S. Attack Near Syria; Target Disputed
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
American ground forces and aircraft attacked a village in Iraq's western
desert, hitting what Iraqi witnesses claimed was wedding party but U.S.
officials said was a way station for foreign infiltrators. Witnesses said
more than 40 civilians were killed, most of them women and children. U.S.
troops were responding to hostile fire and later recovered weapons, large
amounts of cash and other evidence of an insurgent supply route.
White House Considers Plan To let Iraqi Forces Opt Out Of Military
Operations Ordered By The U.S.
[New York Times, May 20, 2004]
The Bush administration is considering a plan that would allow Iraqi
security forces to decline to participate in military operations ordered by
American commanders. This "opt out" provision would help win support at the
U.N. Security Council for a resolution conferring legitimacy on the
caretaker government to be installed in Iraq after June 30.
Bush To Detail Transition Monday In First Of Several Iraq Speeches
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 18]
President Bush will outline details for the Iraqi return to sovereignty
during a major speech Monday in a bid to counter growing public anxiety over
the escalating violence and uncertainty less than six weeks before political
power is handed over in Baghdad.
Bush, Berlusconi Back June 30 Date
[Miami Herald, May 20, 2004]
President Bush and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi voiced approval of a
plan to transfer sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government on June 30.
U.S. Advisers To Stay In Iraq After June 30
[New York Times, May 20, 2004]
Some 200 American and international advisers will continue to work at 26
Iraqi ministries as consultants after the June 30 handover of authority to
Iraq.
To Get Weapons Away From Iraqis, The Army Sets Up An Arms Bazaar
[New York Times, May 20, 2004]
U.S.-led troops have embarked on a new plan for disarming Iraqis---buy their
weapons. The first round of weapons purchases was so successful that it was
extended for two more days. Hundreds of Iraqis were paid $761,357 for 56,536
items, ranging from bullets to assault rifles to mortars and
rocket-propelled grenades.
IRAQ---ABU GHRAIB
No Pattern Of Prisoner Abuse, General Says
All Who Are Found Guilty Will Be Held Accountable, Abizaid Tells Senators
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 23]
A comprehensive probe of military detention facilities in Iraq and
Afghanistan has not found a pattern of abuse, Gen. John Abizaid told a
congressional panel.
2 Generals Outline Lag In Notification On Abuse Reports
[New York Times, May 20, 2004]
Gen. John Abizaid and Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez said Red Cross reports of
prisoner abuse last year at Abu Ghraib prison did not reach them for months
after the complaints were filed with their subordinates.
System Failures Cited For Delayed Action On Abuses
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 19]
Poor coordination of U.S. operations in Iraq and persistent divisions among
Bush administration officials contributed to the failure of the Bush White
House to address a bevy of serious detention issues, U.S. officials and
analysts said.
Iraqis Say Justice Was Not Done
Many in Baghdad decry what they see as a light sentence for the abuse of
prisoners. They contend the case was designed to serve U.S. interests.
[Los Angeles Times, May 20, 2004]
Many Iraqis are upset with the court-martial proceeding against Spc. Jeremy
Sivits and the one-year prison sentence he received for abusing Iraqi
prisoners.
They don't think he was treated harshly enough.
Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Cited In Desertion Court-Martial
[Philadelphia Inquirer, May 20, 2004]
Staff Sgt. Camilo Mejia of the Florida National Guard claims to have
deserted his unit in Iraq so as to avoid orders for abusing Iraqi prisoners.
Court-martial judge Col. Gary Smith ruled that evidence on the "legality and
morality" of prisoner treatment in Iraq was irrelevant to the desertion
charge that Mejia shirked his duty by leaving the Army for five days.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Viewing New World With A Larger Lens
Pentagon's futurist sees bad guys in 'the gap,' and good guys belong to 'the
core.'
[Philadelphia Inquirer, May 20, 2004]
DoD has turned to a Harvard-trained, Star Trek-quoting Navy analyst to help
make sense of America's new role in the world. Thomas P.M. Barnett, a
futurist, said he isn't telling the military "how to suck eggs"---he expands
the "definition of eggs to be sucked."
Bad Iraq News No Obstacle For Busy Recruiters
Despite a bloody spring for U.S. troops and the fallout from the prisoner
abuse scandal, business is good for military recruiters.
[Miami Herald, May 20, 2004]
Military recruiters are conducting business at a rapid pace. Fighting in
Iraq has not affected overall recruiting numbers much---statistics through
2003 show all branches hitting annual targets, with no dramatic spikes.
Soldiers also continue to re-enlist at rates that exceed retention goals.
Simulated Attack At Pentagon Tests Government Response Capabilities
[GovExec.com, May 19, 2004]
The government's ability to respond to another domestic terrorist attack was
tested Wednesday when a simulated radiological "dirty bomb" went off at the
Pentagon.
CONGRESS
White House Warns Against BRAC, Outsourcing Add-Ons
[National Journal's Congress Daily, May 19, 2004]
The White House has raised the possibility of veto for the FY 2005 defense
budget if it contains a provision that delays the Pentagon's 2005 base
closing process or has any restrictions on competitive outsourcing.
Senate To View Gitmo Footage
[Washington Times, May 20, 2004, Pg. 13]
Senate investigators will view videotapes that former inmates say show
guards beating prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. The
videos could confirm or discredit complaints against the Immediate Response
Force, a team of guards asked to deal with detainee misconduct and violence
at the naval base.
CIA
3 CIA Cases Under Scrutiny
[Los Angeles Times, May 20, 2004]
The CIA has forwarded three cases to the Justice Department for possible
criminal prosecution against agency personnel accused of involvement in the
deaths of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Military, Not CIA, May Have Caused Iraqis' Deaths
[Long Island Newsday, May 20, 2004]
Two Iraqi prisoners who died in Iraq after being interrogated by CIA
officials may have succumbed to treatment administered by military handlers
and not the CIA.
ARMY
82nd Denies Abuse Charges
[Fayetteville Observer, May 20, 2004]
The 82nd Airborne Division denies that its soldiers abused four Iraqi
journalists after paratroopers detained them outside Fallujah. The
journalists from Reuters and NBC claimed that soldiers beat them and forced
them to commit humiliating acts. An investigation found that the Iraqi
journalists were "put under stress" but did not uncover any evidence of
torture.
Army Recruiters Pressed Reservists To Re-Enlist Before Iraq Call-Up
[Inside The Pentagon, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
Army recruiters across the country have mistakenly put reserve troops under
intense pressure to re-enlist before they are called up involuntarily for
possible service in Iraq.
Iraq Duty Makes Army Reach Deep For Reserves
The Army is looking at the files of former soldiers to find specialists to
go to Iraq. As many as 6,500 former soldiers could be called on to go back
to active duty involuntarily.
[Miami Herald, May 20, 2004]
The U.S. Army is looking for soldiers for duty in Iraq wherever it can find
them, including places and people long considered off-limits. Some 17,000
people in the Individual Ready Reserve, the nation's pool of former
soldiers, are being looked at to provide more troops.
BUSINESS
Pentagon To Audit Boeing Contract
Review will focus on a bomb program deal amid recent ethics concerns at the
company, sources say.
[Los Angeles Times, May 20, 2004]
The Pentagon's inspector general has informed the Air Force that it will
start auditing a $2.5 billion contract awarded to Boeing Co. last fall in
the latest fallout from ethics scandals that have rocked the aerospace
giant.
Boeing Chief Says Tanker Leaser Plan Is Still Alive
[New York Times, May 20, 2004]
Boeing Co. chief executive Harry Stonecipher said the $20 billion deal with
the Air Force to lease 767s for use as air refuelers "is not dead" and that
the Air Force remains committed to the proposal.
Pentagon Urges Sanctions Against Honeywell
Maryland unit found to lie about management system
[Baltimore Sun, May 20, 2004]
Honeywell International Inc. should face criminal charges or civil penalties
for making false statements in a bid proposal that helped it win a $1.2
billion Air Force contract to provide satellite ground station services, the
Pentagon's inspector general's office said.
Iraqi War Strains U.S. Business: Stock Analysts Often Are Left In The Dark
On Firms' Activities
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. E1]
Stock analysts admit that what they are told about a company's business
relationship with the military often provides little information that can be
passed on to shareholders. Because companies are prohibited from discussing
classified work, it is sometimes difficult for stock analysts to know what
the contractors are actually doing.
Iraq War Strains U.S. Business: Titan Corp. Struggles With Military's Need
For Arabic Translation
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. E1]
Finding Arabic linguists for the military has become a major headache for
San Diego-based Titan Corp. The company has been forced to choose between
taxi drivers, medical students and accountants for interpreters, many of
whom have fallen below professional standards.
AFGHANISTAN
U.S. To Assess Detention Camps In Afghanistan
[Los Angeles Times, May 20, 2004]
Lt. Gen. David Barno, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, ordered a
"top to bottom" assessment of U.S. prisons camps in the country. He wants
assurances that facilities are adequate and that detainees are being treated
in accordance with the Geneva Convention.
ASIA/PACIFIC
U.S. Redeployments To Iraq Rattle South Korean Alliance
Seoul is trying to downplay fears of further withdrawals.
[Christian Science Monitor, May 20, 2004]
The U.S. has begun a new phase in it relationship with South Korea by
deciding to pull out a combat infantry brigade and transfer those troops to
Iraq. Many analysts in South Korea anticipate that the brigade's pullout is
a sign that the U.S. will ultimately give up its commitment to Korea's
defense. Government leaders in Seoul have downplayed the troop movement and
deny that it is the start of further pullouts as U.S. attention is
increasingly focused on the Middle East.
State Says U.S. Will Not Consider N. Korea Request
[Washington Times, May 20, 2004, Pg. 3]
The State Department said the U.S. will not consider a North Korean request
for a light-water nuclear reactor. Pyongyang's request came during
closed-door talks in Beijing last week. The U.S. won't agree to provide
reactors to North Korea until Pyongyang first agrees to abandon its nuclear
arms programs---a more comprehensive move than limiting North Korea's
enrichment of uranium.
MIDEAST
Israel Attack Kills 10 At Gaza Protest
Army Says Shots Were Warning; Children Among Dozens of Wounded
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
Israeli forces, including a helicopter gunship, attacked Palestinian
protesters as they marched toward a heavily populated neighborhood in the
southern Gaza Strip. At least 10 Palestinians were killed and dozens
wounded, many of them children.
White House Criticizes Israel On Attack
Gaza Incursion Does Not 'Serve the Purposes of Peace and Security,' U.S.
Says
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 25]
The White House issued a rare criticism of Israel, saying that Wednesday's
attack on Palestinian protesters in the southern Gaza Strip had "worsened
the humanitarian situation."
Israeli And U.S. Attacks On The Same Day Only Boost Muslims' View Of A War
Against Islam
[Philadelphia Inquire, May 20, 2004, Pg. 1]
Israel's attacks against Palestinian demonstrators and an American military
assault against an alleged wedding party in Iraq, on the same day, cause
many Muslims to conclude that Jewish-American forces are at war with Islam.
This is a view that plays into the hands of terrorists like Osama bin Laden.
OPINION
What Comes Next?
Leslie H. Gelb
[Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2004]
We can't win militarily in Iraq. America needs a new strategy to deal with
the new Iraq that we hope will become a democratic entity in the Middle
East. We can ease some of the world's criticism against our efforts in Iraq
by getting out within two years, which wouldn't be seen as a precipitous
withdrawal and would help assure that diplomatic processes are put in place.
Iraq Salvage Job
Jim Hoagland
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 29]
The Bush administration has failed to adjust to mistakes and miscalculations
made in Iraq. It has been unable to stabilize the position of strategic
strength it held a year ago after ousting Saddam Hussein. Failure and mishap
have robbed the administration of the credibility abroad and national unity
at home it needed to carry out it most ambitious goals. It must now be
realistic and honest about what is still salvageable.
Decline Of A Doctrine And A Diplomat
Richard Cohen
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 29]
Colin Powell is a short-timer. He won't be in the Bush administration if
there is a second term for the president. Had Powell gotten his way in
earlier arguments, America's position in the Arab world would be much more
appreciated. Powell's apology to Arabs for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal got
little attention from his audience. His diminished stature personifies all
that has gone wrong with President Bush's foreign policy.
Interrogation Insanity
Arnold Ahlert
[New York Post, May 18, 2004]
The U.S. military now prohibits sleep and sensory deprivation and body
"stress positions" as interrogation tools. Why are we so concerned about not
humiliating those who desperately want to kill us all? Didn't the televised
images of a brutal decapitation prove that terrorists don't care about the
niceties of human rights?
Grim Events In Iraq Call For Reassessment Of Goals
Our View
[USA Today, May 20, 2004, Pg. 12]
It is becoming harder to imagine that President Bush's vision of a stable,
democratic Iraq can emerge from the chaos now throttling that country. A
fresh approach could help. It could include an international rescue mission
and a complete turnover of authority to the Iraqis.
Get U.S. Military Out Of Iraq
Dennis J. Kucinich
[USA Today, May 20, 2004, Pg. 12]
U.S. troops in Iraq are counterproductive. Staying the course in Iraq will
damage U.S. security and lead to a longer war, with more casualties, more
billions spent and, inevitably, a military draft.
Democracy Is Worth The Fight
Danielle Pletka
[USA Today, May 20, 2004, Pg. 12]
Those who call for a "reassessment" in Iraq smell of fear. That attitude
says America doesn't have the courage of its convictions or the will to
fight. It says that terrorism is an effective tool that will decide American
will. For those who believe that democracy in the Middle East isn't
feasible, have them say what they really mean---Arabs aren't smart enough or
deserving enough to rule themselves.
EDITORIAL
A Corrupted Culture
[Washington Post, May 20, 2004, Pg. 28]
The U.S. military in Iraq operated with no firm policy when it came to
dealing with prisoners held at detention centers, including Abu Ghraib.
President Bush or Congress will have to reverse policies that distorted the
rule of law and opened the way for prisoner abuses.
Moral Courage At Abu Ghraib
[Christian Science Monitor, May 20, 2004]
The moral courage of Army Reserve Spc. Joseph Darby opened the door to the
deplorable treatment being accorded Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. He
thought the treatment of Iraqi prisoners was "very wrong" and said so.
SOURCE: Defense News
