Suburban Guerrilla

Legacy

Jan 31st, 2006 at 9:22 am by Susie

In a startling revelation, the former commander of Abu Ghraib prison testified that Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, former senior US military commander in Iraq, gave orders to cover up the cause of death for some female American soldiers serving in Iraq.

Last week, Col. Janis Karpinski told a panel of judges at the Commission of Inquiry for Crimes against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration in New York that several women had died of dehydration because they refused to drink liquids late in the day. They were afraid of being assaulted or even raped by male soldiers if they had to use the women’s latrine after dark.

The latrine for female soldiers at Camp Victory wasn’t located near their barracks, so they had to go outside if they needed to use the bathroom. “There were no lights near any of their facilities, so women were doubly easy targets in the dark of the night,” Karpinski told retired US Army Col. David Hackworth in a September 2004 interview.

It was there that male soldiers assaulted and raped women soldiers. So the women took matters into their own hands. They didn’t drink in the late afternoon so they wouldn’t have to urinate at night. They didn’t get raped. But some died of dehydration in the desert heat, Karpinski said.

Karpinski testified that a surgeon for the coalition’s joint task force said in a briefing that “women in fear of getting up in the hours of darkness to go out to the port-a-lets or the latrines were not drinking liquids after 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and in 120 degree heat or warmer, because there was no air-conditioning at most of the facilities, they were dying from dehydration in their sleep.”

“And rather than make everybody aware of that — because that’s shocking, and as a leader if that’s not shocking to you then you’re not much of a leader — what they told the surgeon to do is don’t brief those details anymore. And don’t say specifically that they’re women. You can provide that in a written report but don’t brief it in the open anymore.”

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21 Responses to “Legacy”

on 31 Jan 2006 at 10:21 am1AJ Lynch

You don’t really believe this story do you? Karpinski is a demoted, incompetent reservist who is running around telling tales.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 10:32 am2John

This is sad but not at all hard to believe given how the officer corp in the army works. First off you don’t get to that high of a rank and a top flight command such as Centcom without being an expert politician first and foremost. Add to that Sanchez would naturally still want to get his fourth star and a chance at being on the joint chiefs you end up with perfect recipe for cover-up.

The second thing is how the whole officer evaluation process is done. Just like any job there are yearly reviews and a bad one can end a career. But all too often objectivity is thrown out the window and personal vendettas effect the outcome. I know of one case where a pilot who was probably the best Blackhawk pilot I ever saw had his career ended because of a disagreement with a friend of the person rating him.

So in this case you have the old boys network at it’s best. Telling the truth would have you looking at the help wanted ads long before your planned retirement with nice military pension.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:13 am3Ralph Dosser

So “reservist” is an insult now, Al? Somebody not to be taken seriously?

What does that make a National Guardsman?

I believe it, absolutely. This administration and this military leadership (not the troops, the leadership) are fractally incompetent. What proof? How about a lost war?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:21 am4AJ Lynch

I didn’t intend my comment as a slur against reservists. I have seen Karpinski on many TV shows and can’t below she actually rose to her former rank of brigadier general. She was one of those in charge at Abu Graib and now she is trying to re-write her own history by making up stories. Get me even one name of a soldier who died of dehydration under the circumstances she described. Then I may believe.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:27 am5Susie

Several woman reservists dead of non-specified causes here:

http://icasualties.org/oif/female.aspx
on 31 Jan 2006 at 11:40 am6Lou

I can’t believe someone would not have set up a portable pot of some sort for this situation (if it existed). These women know the effects of dehydration and as young, healthy individuals they would not have died during their first bout of dehydration.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 12:34 pm7YYY

Oh, rapes in the military? I’m sure they are non-existant. Sure.
And forget about an abortion from an “unknown” rape job - not in W’s book.
Deaths by terrified women in 120 degree heat? People have died for less.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:26 pm8AJ Lynch

Suzie: “several woman …died of non-specified causes”.

I looked at the list and there are 4-5 names on it in your “non-specified” category. One died of a fall; two died at Walter Reed Army Med Center so that makes dehyrdation as the cause pretty unlikely.

One collapsed while on patrol in Baghdad so she is a “possible” if Abu Graib is in Baghdad- I don’t know if it is.

The fifth just died on 1/20/06 and cause of death is not available yet.

Bottom line is you are putting out something which is most likely false, a lie and slanderous to US troops. You would crucify the MSM for doing the same.

Addicted to the Kool Aid, heh?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:40 pm9der

AJ read James Bacque’s “Other Losses” the column that the Allies listed German POW’s under who starved to death and died under conditions no different than what our own soldiers suffered under Axis hands. Patton was fired for the last time when at the end of the war Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander, issued orders to cut the rations of all germans held by the Allies: soldiers, women, children - all of them - their daily calorie ration was below 1500 barely above starvation … Patton disobeyed it saying that the order made the Allies no different than the Nazis … pissed Eisenhower off, Patton was recalled … and, according to some, died a suspicious death.

Whatever General Karpinski (I use her title out of respect) said, whether you agree with her or not, it is true, in my opinion, that the real fear men have, always have had, is women having power. I have no reason to doubt her unless this Administration can prove her wrong. And to find that out just send a fax or e-mail to every congressperson you have the time to, send one to Associate Justice Alito and ask him if this falls under unchecked power of the Executive and ask everyone of them to investigate it - hold public hearings. To think that Scooter or Rove or Rice don’t need an oath when testifying in front of congress and to doubt an officer of our military who is testifying under oath just because …? Why? She is a she? I call bullshit and to anyone who isn’t outraged by even the thought of this, true or not, may you rot in hell.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:43 pm10der

One more thing AJ here are the links, send one to the NYT see if they care.

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/31584/
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m20112&l=i&size=1&hd=0

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/013006J.shtml
on 31 Jan 2006 at 1:50 pm11Susie

What, exactly, is slanderous here - the idea that soldiers get raped by other soldiers? Because they do - male AND female.

http://www.alternet.org/rights/19134/

http://www.citybeat.com/2002-08-22/news2.shtml

http://www.globalwomenstrike.net/English2004/DorothyMackey.htm

http://www.kirotv.com/news/4428631/detail.html

At least one study indicates the incidence of rape in the military is disproportionately higher than that of other crimes and ties it to the military culture:

http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/alumni/dm8/rwanda_txt.html
on 31 Jan 2006 at 3:43 pm12AJ Lynch

The links you all provided go back to the same single source (Karpinski’s testimony).

That’s not independent proof that femaile soldiers are making a conscious choice between death from dehydration versus risking being raped.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 4:03 pm13Geoff Arnold » Blog Archive » An unspeakable choice: rape, or death from dehydration

[...] From Suburban Guerrilla Last week, Col. Janis Karpinski told a panel of judges at the Commission of Inquiry for Crimes against Humanity Committed by the Bush Administration in New York that several women had died of dehydration because they refused to drink liquids late in the day. They were afraid of being assaulted or even raped by male soldiers if they had to use the women’s latrine after dark. [...]
on 31 Jan 2006 at 4:16 pm14der

AJ this administration has too much blood on its hands for me to take their word over Janis Karpinski’s - she has no reason to make any of this up unless you want to argue revenge then what thaht says is boys know the rules - the thin blue/gray line holds and we don’t rat out our own but girls? - screw the “protect and defend the constitution” oath - words, everbody lies and why not Janis Karpinski.

We have been programmed to blame the victim when it comes to rape and abuse and I for one take the other tact - I have no doubt what men, especially men in uniform, are capable of and this falls right in line with that.

WMD’s, chemical weapons, torture, domestic spying … I’ll take Karpinski’s word first - that’s enough evidence for me.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 4:45 pm15cgeye

Al Lynch: Is Lying.

The Citybeat.net source doesn’t mention Karpinski’s testimony. Neither does the Alternet.org or other articles; they don’t even cite the same people who are speaking out against rape in the US Armed Forces.

So: Why is he lying?

It should be about quitting time at his cubicle at whatever VRWC clipjoint, so maybe he’ll cobble together a response that actually reveals a truth: His handlers’ hatred for anyone speaking out, in a real, understandable way, about what wrongs are tolerated in the name of enforcing whatever rules PNAC likes, worldwide.

And, oh, the ‘why not a chamberpot’ question: Ever heard of a surprise inspection?

If women are scared enough to damage their kidneys avoiding rapists at night, doesn’t it make sense that they’re too scared to get written up for pissing indoors — especially when the same officers who tolerate the rapists most likely supervise them? What part of “a hostile work environment” do you not understand?
on 31 Jan 2006 at 5:21 pm16cgeye

And, oh yes: If I were a suspicious broad, I would infer from Mr. Lynch’s attack on Gen. Karpinski that CACI is mighty, mighty worried about their lawsuit against Randi Rhodes. Lemme explain.

Ms. Rhodes repeated some of Gen. Karpinski’s testimony on another series of bad acts at Abu Ghraib, this time directly involving CACI, and thus Rhodes is being sued for several million dollars. Last week, she was worried about the breadth of discovery allowed CACI’s lawyers, in deposing her — they can ask anything, and as shown by the leak of Air America salaries to Bill O’Reilly, last week, any bit of that deposition could land on the conservative talk show circuit, in due course.

In the meantime, why wouldn’t a think-tank blogtroll spend a few posts impugning the source of Rhodes’ information? Just another day of defamation….
on 31 Jan 2006 at 5:26 pm17James Guglielmino

The troubling thing about this allegation is that it doesn’t *seem* to pass the “sniff test.” Think about it….If you are only drinking enough water to sustain yourself, there is almost no urine. If the story is true, the women described must be inordinately stupid. Also, what keeps a person from just peeing outside the tent if it is all *that* dangerous to go to the latrine. OK, maybe there is discipline for that…Still, the story doesn’t make sense.
Gug
on 31 Jan 2006 at 8:32 pm18Julie

I’m not doubting that this is possible, just wondering if it is, in this case, likely in every instance. Women would have been quartered together. Wouldn’t it have been possible to make a pact to go in a group at a set time, 3 a.m. or something, carrying sidearms in case of trouble? If the set time would have allowed for more ambush, then staggering the times. Granted a group can be jumped as easily as an individual but having that many people tussling at night would be noticeable. Years ago when my husband and I would visit armed and trigger happy relatives if either of us had to use the bathroom in the night we would both go, for some protection. If a chamber pot would be unusable, there is always a paper or plastic funnel and an empty bottle or jar. As long as there’s a lid you could store it in your footlocker until it could be emptied after inspection.

I’m not saying it’s impossible, just that I consider it improbable in this context, unless there is further evidence.
on 31 Jan 2006 at 10:03 pm19der

So everyone again - let’s blame the victim - date rape, incest, family sex abuse, clergy sex abuse - the catholic church it is estimated has paid out over a BILLION to settle lawsuits. As I wrote this and as you read it a rape is happening - for a man to doubt it shows the denseness of his compassion and empathy - many, many, many times I have been the only man on an elevator when a woman gets on - some who are confident and street smart aren’t bothered but many draw away and watch out of the corner of their eye. I’ve been in settings where unknowingly a man came up from behind and touched the shoulder of a woman who was abused to see here cringe and a few times react angrily to what is perceived as a violation. Groups of women don’t get raped - logical defensive tactics would say that this was rare if it did happen but it had to happen for someone to make sure they didn’t travel alone - this is a war zone too, there can be drugs and alcohol involved - and the victims we are speaking of are dead - dehydration in the desert is much different than what you might think - you get giddy, dizzy, pass out - and with no one any wiser you don’t wake up. The doctors know and if the military can find doctors willing to keep some lowly schmuck Afghani alive at Quantanamo then one can be found to change the cause of death. Abu ghrab, wmd, mass killings, chemical weapons, NOLA, old people on welfare eating cat food, mentally ill on the street - when it’s too hard to face the truth it’s easier to create a story and believe that. Why wouldn’t you take this woman’s word over the Bush Administration? what have they done to win your confidence? In my land they have been wrong on everything and heartless when it comes to the suffering of the lower classes (anyone below their station)- Karla Faye Tucker.
on 01 Feb 2006 at 12:09 pm20James Guglielmino

>
There are probably few people you will meet who harbor as much anger as I harbor for this administration. *He* tells us last night that we are addicted to oil? The son of a bitch defended the right of Americans a few years ago to enjoy their life styles that included SUVs that get 16 miles per gallon. He has done absolutely nothing to lead this nation towards independency from mid eastern oil, a position that would dramatically change our fucking addiction to invading mid eastern nations as well as messing with their legally elected governments (Iran in 1953) None of my hatred for shrub and his minions will allow me to simply accept a story that doesn’t make sense to me. It isn’t that I “take the administration’s word” over Karpinski’s. It is that what she has reported does not seem to make sense. Maybe it happened, but legitimate questions have been raised about it and it is my view that I become like *them* when I rage over stories that seem not true. Let us, somehow, find the truth. If this report is true, then we can rage justly. If not, let us find other issues that we can justly rage over. God knows….shrub has given us a plethora of these.
Jim Guglielmino
Mission, KS
on 01 Feb 2006 at 4:08 pm21AJ Lynch

Julie:
You very clearly wrote what I was trying to suggest.

Cgeye:
Is suspicious about “CACI” and what I posted. What the heck is CACI- I don’t even know what you are referring to.

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