General Demoted, Cleared in Torture Probe

Wapo

President Bush approved yesterday an order demoting Army Reserve Brig. Gen. Janis L. Karpinski, the only general to be punished in connection with investigations into detainee abuse at U.S. military prisons.

Karpinski's rank was reduced to colonel, and she was issued a reprimand and relieved of her command. But the Army's inspector general recommended the sanctions based on a broad charge of dereliction of duty, as well as on a charge of shoplifting, essentially clearing her of responsibility for the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison. As commander of the 800th Military Police Brigade, Karpinski oversaw more than a dozen prison facilities in Iraq in 2003.

Not knowing the details, it is a shame that it is a woman and a reservist who gets to shoulder the blame. It is hard not to smell a rat here as the good ol' boy network remains intact. But . . . shoplifting? Yikes!

The shoplifting charge stemmed from a misdemeanor incident in which Karpinski allegedly stole cosmetics in Florida before she was promoted to one-star general. Her failure to disclose the arrest was against Army regulations.

Oh boy! This is most embarassing for her, but does anyone else feel like the Army dug deep to get dirt on her?