In case you missed it, Time magazine has learned of “unreleased, classified” sections of the report on prison abuse and it appears there are some deeply disturbing reports of Americans abusing female prisoners, including some as young as 17.
In a Feb. 21 statement to Taguba, Lieut. Colonel Steven L. Jordan, former head of the Abu Ghraib interrogation center, said he had received reports “that there were members of the MI [Military Intelligence] community that had come over and done a late-night interrogation of two female detainees” last October. According to a statement by Jordan’s boss, Colonel Thomas Pappas, three interrogators were later cited for violations of military law in their handling of the two females, ages 17 and 18. Senate Armed Services Committee investigators are probing whether the two women were sexually abused. The Pentagon declined to comment.
From a purely political perspective, the White House would have been far better off releasing everything, all at once, as soon as this scandal broke. As twisted and repulsive reports like this one dribble out over several months, it only makes things worse.
The White House probably believes it can keep the news hidden indefinitely. It’s mistaken.