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WASHINGTON,
D.C. – Following the indictment of a CIA contractor for the death of prisoner
in Afghanistan, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) today renewed
her call for the Bush Administration to immediately suspend all contracts
with private firms conducting interrogations of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“There
is no room for U.S.-hired paramilitaries and mercenaries in an interrogation
cell. This is a dangerous and deadly mix that has contributed
to the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq and could only lead to a more dangerous
situation for U.S. military and civilian personnel at home and abroad,
unless it is immediately stopped,” Schakowsky said.
“Private
contractors should not be entrusted with the interrogation of prisoners
because they fall outside the official command structure and operate without
clear protocols for oversight and accountability. President Bush
must suspend all contracts with U.S.-hired paramilitary firms operating
within U.S. prison facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan and put an end to
this dangerous policy,” Schakowsky added.
In
a letter sent to President Bush last month, Schakowsky wrote, “the sadistic
abuses of Iraqis at a U.S. military prison raise serious questions about
the accountability of U.S.-hired private military contractors who are involved
in illegal activity… pending a thorough investigation and appropriate
action, including, but not limited to, the dismissal and prosecution of
those involved, all contracts with civilian firms for functions involving
security, supervision and interrogation of prisoners, should be suspended.”
Schakowsky
had also requested copies of all contracts that the Pentagon signed with
private firms providing supervision, security or interrogation services
in Iraqi prisons. So far, the White House has only acknowledged the
receipt of Schakowsky’s request. Recently, she introduced legislation
to require the Department of Defense to supply Congress with copies and
descriptions of new contracts and task orders worth more than $1 million
that the Pentagon signs with private firms to conduct business in Iraq
or Afghanistan.
Schakowsky
is a longtime critic of the increasing use of taxpayer-funded private military
contractors by the U.S. government in places like Colombia and Iraq and
has said that she “opposes the use of military contractors who are not
subject to the same kind of scrutiny and accountability as U.S. soldiers.” |
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