NYT: Army ignores own policy; uses private contractors as interrogators




Rules are generally made to be followed, not ignored...

from nytimes.com:

The use of private contractors as interrogators at Abu Ghraib and other prisons in Iraq violates an Army policy that requires such jobs to be filled by government employees because of the "risk to national security," among other concerns, the Army acknowledged Friday.

An Army policy directive published in 2000 and still in effect today, the military said, classifies any job that involves "the gathering and analysis" of tactical intelligence as "an inherently governmental function barred from private sector performance."

Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, an Army public affairs officer, acknowledged after consulting with senior Army officials that the service was in violation of that rule, but added that military commanders in Iraq, "retain the right to make exceptions." Another senior Army officer, in Baghdad, explained that using contract interrogators was a solution to shortages of suitable Army personnel.

The rule does not authorize exceptions for jobs involving the collection or analysis of tactical intelligence, which is perishable information the military can use for planning operations. A related White House policy directive insists that agencies "perform inherently governmental activities with government personnel."

"Who in the world says they have authority to change the rules like that?" asked Representative Ike Skelton of Missouri, who is the ranking Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, referring to the policy directive. "I want to find out how and why these contractors got there."

Ike, I think we'd all like to know that.

Posted: Sun - June 13, 2004 at 09:56 PM          

©