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Thousands of New Prisoners Overwhelm Iraqi System
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SOLOMON MOORE
New York Times
February 14, 2008
BAGHDAD — The increase in American troops in Iraq over the past year has been accompanied by waves of new Iraqi detainees, inundating the country’s already overburdened prisons and courts, American officials said Wednesday.
American advisers say Iraq’s nascent justice system does not have enough prison beds, investigative judges or lawyers to absorb the thousands of suspects that have been detained since last summer by the augmented American and Iraqi security forces. More than half of the 26,000 prisoners are still awaiting trial, and some have languished for years, American officials said.
The Iraqi legislature approved an amnesty on Wednesday that could free thousands of prisoners. But American officials warned that the Justice Ministry would still require tens of thousands of new prison beds to consolidate detainees being held throughout the country by various agencies, including the police and the army.
The ministry will also have to receive many of the 24,000 additional prisoners held in separate American military prisons, like Camp Bucca in southern Iraq and Abu Ghraib, north of Baghdad.
United States Justice Department advisers briefed reporters on Wednesday during a surprise visit by Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey. He met with Gen. David H. Petraeus, Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and top Iraqi legal officials, including Chief Justice Medhat al-Mahmoud. The visit was Mr. Mukasey’s first to Iraq since becoming attorney general in November.
“Our efforts, combined with those of the Departments of State and Defense, have already resulted in significant progress,” said Mr. Mukasey, praising the 200 Justice Department employees working on “rule of law” issues in Iraq.
But several of those employees told reporters that improvements were being hindered by government inaction, corruption and sectarianism.
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February 15th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
The USA has become the Nazi war machine of the 21st century – complete with genocide, torture and the subjugation of a former sovereign country. What we have done to Iraq is digusting beyond telling.
February 16th, 2008 at 3:00 am
H.A.L.I.B.U.R.T.O.N. can take care of it.
February 16th, 2008 at 6:02 am
USA Government has become a sick joke. Exporting “freedom” while they have the most prisoners per capita at home and in their occupied states. maybe China has more? I don’t know.
February 16th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Why don’t they leave those people alone they never done anything those pure scum generals should be in prison for what they have done why don’t those morons let the troops come who can object to our military get on planes an come home there are there illegally anyway nobody gets in trouble the military is above bush anyway we need the troops here to clean out washington and patrol the borders.
February 16th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Rittmeister, VERY well said. So few realize that our freedoms have been systematically stolen in complete stealth. HR1955 passed the House with 400 vote for and only 6 against. It basically states that if you criticize the government for any action, program, or official version of any story then you have committed an act of terror and you’re now an enemy combatant under the Patriot Acts. Which, by the way, are anything but patriotic! Then there’s Directive 51 that the criminal, Bush, created as an executive order on May 9, 2007. It states in the next national emergency, a hurricane, a blackout, your dog defecating in your neighbor’s yard (a joke for those too stupid to recognize it) he dismisses Congress and takes direct control of all three branches of government. This is actually on the White House web page. Americans, WAKE UP!!! Forget your stupid “Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Sunday big screen football, and other retarded TV shows and realize what’s happening here. Your responsibility as an American citizen does NOT stop at the voting booth. Actually, that’s where is begins. YOU MUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!!!! Send them your written opinions, your phone messages, your ballots and make term accountable to YOU. This is what our founding fathers gave their wealth, and very often their lives, to create for YOU! Don’t throw it away. There’s still time to turn this around and get rid of the criminals in Washington DC. As our founding fathers stated, “it will be necessary from time to time to spill the blood of both tyrants and patriots”. That time is just about here.