Torture of Prisoners -- Why the Surprise?

Judging from “Bush Scolds Rumsfeld on Abuse Inquiry” (May 6), President Bush is outraged and feels blindsided by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon.

What is outrageous is that Bush’s anger seems less directed to the systematic abuses by the military in Abu Ghraib and other prisons, which were known for several months, than to the fact that there were photographs to prove the allegations, thus embarrassing him during this crucial campaign period. His sincerity is in doubt, which is why his appearances on Arab TV channels were not well received and why the image of the U.S. under the Bush administration continues to sink around the world.

Marilyn Gaims

Reseda

If Rumsfeld had any sense of humility and concern for his country he would tender his resignation. He has brought shame to this great nation and should have the decency to fall on his sword like the noble warrior he purports to be.

Saul Goldfarb

Oak Park

Bush can claim that Iraqi prisoner abuse “does not represent the America I know,” as he said Wednesday. Yet under his leadership, our government has sent hundreds of people to offshore prison camps, where they are secretly held and interrogated without access to any system of justice. Actions (and especially photographs) speak louder than words.

Andrew Lewicky

Los Angeles

The man who oversees the most secretive presidential administration in America’s history is blindsided by a secret. In his own mind, our God-ordained president is the victim of other people’s evil actions. He is incapable of comprehending the role he plays in creating his woes. He cannot see that it is his secretive, cavalier, mean-spirited administration that is the progenitor and sustainer of his current problems. This administration is nothing more than a reflection of the man at the top: Bush himself.

Barry Simon

Studio City

The chorus of administration big shots denouncing suddenly “discovered” widespread American mistreatment of Iraqi and Afghan prisoners just doesn’t ring true. The best that can be said -- if these exalted persons, especially Rumsfeld, truly had no idea of what was going on in our military prisons -- is that our leadership is hopelessly incompetent and should resign en masse. Making examples of small-fry interrogators and custodial personnel, plus exaggerated flag-waving, just won’t cut the mustard.

Horace Gaims

Los Angeles

The abuses at Abu Ghraib prison are indicative of poor leadership and planning for Iraq. Sending soldiers untrained in handling captives to guard too many Iraqis is bad enough. On top of that, their supervisors are more concerned with interrogations than human rights.

An unknown number of Iraqis have disappeared into U.S.-run prisons not to be heard from again, and who does the Pentagon send to replace the commander of the prison system? Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Miller, who oversaw his share of abuses as the commander of the Guantanamo Bay detention site.

And rest assured, when this administration sees problems in its Iraq policy, it will deny them or keep doing more of the same.

Eugene Wu

Oceanside

The abuse in Iraq happened right after the commanding general of Guantanamo Bay and his “team” visited these prisons. Did they show them how the experts do it? Are we doing the same thing now in Guantanamo? Osama bin Laden must be ecstatic, with so many recruits created and hardened by these atrocities. All he needs now is to have Bush reelected.

John J. Moura

Beverly Hills

This scandal is no surprise to those who have followed the School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Ga., where thousands protested torture classes given there for many years. Our tax dollars have supported death squads and torture by Central and South American militaries for decades.

Mary A. Flanagan

San Dimas

A possible solution to our problems in Iraq may be to put Saddam Hussein back in as president and leave the country. It couldn’t be any worse.

Sid Kahn

Dana Point