General says U.S. forces tortured Iraqis

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Army general has acknowledged for the first time that U.S. forces tortured Iraqis at the Abu Ghraib jail and his report said a colonel who headed the military intelligence unit at the prison could face criminal charges.

"It's a harsh word, and in some instances, unfortunately, I think it was appropriate here. There were a few instances where torture was being used," Army Major General George Fay told a Pentagon briefing on Wednesday on his investigation with Lt. Gen. Anthony Jones into the role of military intelligence personnel in the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, on the outskirts of Baghdad.

Pentagon leaders and Bush administration officials had previously steered clear of describing the physical abuse and sexual humiliation of Iraqi prisoners as torture. Fay did not specify the actions he considered torture.

The investigators referred Col. Thomas Pappas, commander of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade at Abu Ghraib, to Army authorities for possible disciplinary action, which could prompt criminal charges.

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How far up the chain will it go? Sanchez, Boykin, Cambone, Rumsfeld, Bush?

He could watch 60 Minutes and be better informed. Military Intelligence, indeed.

I'm sure he will attempt to attribute the torture to a "few bad appes" instead of admitting that it was approved from the top.