A clash occurred between Rumsfeld and the new top military dog Gen. Peter
Pace yesterday. The clash happened before reporters and over torture:
Via the AP
from ABC15 News:
Top U.S. military officer contradicts
his civilian bossWASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s top military man, Marine Gen. Peter Pace,
said American troops in Iraq have a duty to intercede and stop abuse of
prisoners by Iraqi security personnel.When Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld contradicted Pace, the general
stood firm.Rumsfeld told the general he believed Pace meant to say the U.S. soldiers
had to report the abuse, not stop it.Pace stuck to his original statement.
The unusual exchange occurred during a discussion at a news conference
about the relationship between U.S. forces in Iraq and an Iraqi government
considered sovereign by the United States.A questioner asked whether the United States and its allies might be
deemed responsible for preventing mistreatment of people under arrest in
Iraq, given that the U.S. and its allies train Iraqi forces.“There are a lot of people involved in this, dozens of countries
trying to help train these Iraqi forces. Any instance of inhumane behavior
is obviously worrisome and harmful to them when that occurs,” Rumsfeld said.
“Iraq knows, of certain knowledge, that they need the support of the
international community. And a good way to lose it is to make a practice of
something that is inconsistent with the values of the international
community.”He added: “Now, you know, I can’t go any further in talking about it.
Obviously, the United States does not have a responsibility when a sovereign
country engages in something that they disapprove of.”Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked what orders the
troops have to handle such incidents. He responded: “It is absolutely the
responsibility of every U.S. service member if they see inhumane treatment
being conducted, to intervene, to stop it.”He said soldiers who hear of but don’t see an incident should deal with
it through superiors of the offending Iraqis.That’s when Rumsfeld stepped to the microphone and said, “I don’t think
you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it. It’s to report it.”Pace then repeated to Rumsfeld that intervening when witnessing abuse is
the order the troops must follow, not just reporting it.
This just further solidifies the recent comments of Cheney and Co. endorsing
torture. Even Rummy wants to turn the other cheek to it. Thankfully we have
military leaders who have a different view on the matter. This type of
disagreement should prove to Congress there is an extreme divide between our
military and the civilian leaders.