by Martrae » Thu May 05, 2005 6:05 pm
Bush demotes Army general in Abu Ghraib scandal
May 5, 6:57 PM (ET)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Thursday demoted a one-star general who figured prominently in the Abu Ghraib Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, the U.S. Army said.
Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski became the first high-level U.S. military officer demoted in the scandal after Army leaders deemed her job performance "seriously lacking" and accused her of concealing a past shoplifting arrest.
The Army said in a statement Karpinski had been reduced in rank to colonel, although an investigation by the Army inspector general's officer "determined that no action or lack of action on her part contributed specifically to the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib."
The Army, which had been accused by human rights activists of punishing only a handful of low-ranking soldiers involved in the physical abuse and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib jail, also said it had taken disciplinary action against a series of other officers in connection with detainee abuse.
They included a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, three majors, 10 captains, four 1st lieutenants and two 2nd lieutenants, the Army added, but declined to identify them.
Five of the officers, none with a rank higher than captain, faced unspecified criminal charges, but most of the discipline was administrative punishment such as a formal letter of reprimand or a discharge from the military, the Army said.
Inside each person lives two wolves. One is loyal, kind, respectful, humble and open to the mystery of life. The other is greedy, jealous, hateful, afraid and blind to the wonders of life. They are in battle for your spirit. The one who wins is the one you feed.