'Cocktail for disaster' in Iraq

2004-05-23 16:40

Washington - Leading US lawmakers said on Sunday they expected more courts-martial in the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, and that proceedings would target more senior military officials than the low-ranking soldiers targeted so far.

"I'm confident that there will be more court-martials and it's not going to be just privates and sergeants," senator Lindsey Graham told the "Fox News Sunday" television program.

"I think we're going to find that you had (military police) being directed by the military intelligence people to do some of the abuse.

"I think we're going to find that they did some of the abuse on their own," said Graham, who sits on the senate armed services committee and was a military lawyer.

'Cocktail for disaster'

Abu Ghraib prison, where graphic photographs were taken of US soldiers mistreating Iraqi prisoners, was "the worst run command situation I've ever seen," Graham said.

"I think we're going to find a sophisticated plan that was in Cuba on how to interrogate al-Qaeda people was translated to an unsophisticated group in Iraq that was poorly-trained and understaffed, and that the result was a cocktail for disaster."

Senator Hillary Clinton, who sits on the same committee, said she "absolutely" expected more courts-martial of higher-ranking military.

"I think that it is important not only for the military to get this under control and to set an example but it is ... very important for our country."

Seven military guards already face courts-martial over the abuse at Abu Ghraib, which the Red Cross has said was tantamount to torture.

- AFP