The Failed Pacifist

Rummy & General Pace Disagree Over Torture

While acknowledging that "inhumane behavior is obviously worrisome" Donald Rumsfeld indicated U.S. troops who observe Iraqi forces abusing their captives are not obliged to physically stop it, but only to report it. General Pace, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff disagrees, strongly.

GEN. PACE: It is absolutely the responsibility of every U.S. service member, if they see inhumane treatment being conducted, to intervene to stop it. As an example of how to do it if you don't see it happening but you're told about it is exactly what happened a couple weeks ago. There's a report from an Iraqi to a U.S. commander that there was possibility of inhumane treatment in a particular facility. That U.S. commander got together with his Iraqi counterparts. They went together to the facility, found what they found, reported it to the Iraqi government, and the Iraqi government has taken ownership of that problem and is investigating it. So they did exactly what they should have done.

SEC. RUMSFELD: But I don't think you mean they have an obligation to physically stop it; it's to report it.

GEN. PACE: If they are physically present when inhumane treatment is taking place, sir, they have an obligation to try to stop it.

posted by Doran @ 9:41 AM