FriscoLady
05-06-2005, 01:05 AM
U.S. general demoted over prison abuses
CBC News
WASHINGTON - The U.S. officer who was in charge of the Abu Ghraib prison when American soldiers abused Iraqi detainees has been demoted.
President George W. Bush ordered the action, which makes Janis Karpinski – who was a brigadier-general – the highest ranking officer to be disciplined over the prisoner abuse scandal.
Former brigadier-general Janis Karpinski says she's been made the scapegoat in the Abu Ghraib scandal.
"Today, the president approved a recommendation to vacate the promotion of Brigadier-General Karpinski from her rank of brigadier-general," the U.S. army said in a statement on Thursday.
"This decision reduces her to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve," said the statement, which confirmed earlier unofficial reports.
The army said an investigation had substantiated two allegations against Karpinski, a reservist: dereliction of duty and shoplifting.
Before being demoted, she was relieved of her command and given a memo of reprimand.
Three other, more senior generals were cleared of wrongdoing in the cases, the army said on Thursday.
Karpinski says she was a scapegoat
Karpinski wasn't immediately available for comment.
She has said she didn't hold full authority of the prison in late 2003 and early 2004, when guards were photographed abusing and sexually humiliating prisoners.
Karpinski said she didn't know about the abuse, insisting that she was being used as a scapegoat to protect higher-ranking officers and military intelligence.
Many officers punished, army says
The military has been accused of only punishing low-ranking personnel.
It said Thursday that one-quarter of those disciplined have been officers, including a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, three majors and 10 captains.
The higher ranking officers received letters of reprimand, non-judicial punishments or similar treatment, while some junior officers were court-martialled.
CBC News
WASHINGTON - The U.S. officer who was in charge of the Abu Ghraib prison when American soldiers abused Iraqi detainees has been demoted.
President George W. Bush ordered the action, which makes Janis Karpinski – who was a brigadier-general – the highest ranking officer to be disciplined over the prisoner abuse scandal.
Former brigadier-general Janis Karpinski says she's been made the scapegoat in the Abu Ghraib scandal.
"Today, the president approved a recommendation to vacate the promotion of Brigadier-General Karpinski from her rank of brigadier-general," the U.S. army said in a statement on Thursday.
"This decision reduces her to the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve," said the statement, which confirmed earlier unofficial reports.
The army said an investigation had substantiated two allegations against Karpinski, a reservist: dereliction of duty and shoplifting.
Before being demoted, she was relieved of her command and given a memo of reprimand.
Three other, more senior generals were cleared of wrongdoing in the cases, the army said on Thursday.
Karpinski says she was a scapegoat
Karpinski wasn't immediately available for comment.
She has said she didn't hold full authority of the prison in late 2003 and early 2004, when guards were photographed abusing and sexually humiliating prisoners.
Karpinski said she didn't know about the abuse, insisting that she was being used as a scapegoat to protect higher-ranking officers and military intelligence.
Many officers punished, army says
The military has been accused of only punishing low-ranking personnel.
It said Thursday that one-quarter of those disciplined have been officers, including a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, three majors and 10 captains.
The higher ranking officers received letters of reprimand, non-judicial punishments or similar treatment, while some junior officers were court-martialled.