Rumsfeld 'doing a superb job' [at avoiding blame?]
President Bush continued to steer blame for the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal away from Mr Rumsfeld when he led a powerful show of support for his Defence Secretary during a visit to the Pentagon.
But despite this endorsement, there is mounting evidence undermining sworn testimony -- by Mr Rumsfeld and the Pentagon's senior commanders -- that the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison were carried out only by "a handful" of junior officers.
Numerous witnesses told the military's inquiry chief Major-General Antonio Taguba that shocking abuses, including sexual humiliation, were encouraged at the prison by US military intelligence officers.
General Taguba's internal army report described systemic abuse problems at Abu Ghraib and said junior officers were instructed by military intelligence and private contractors to "set the conditions" for prisoner interrogations.
Army Times newspaper, which often reflects opinion in the armed forces, condemned Mr Rumsfeld and the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Richard Myers in an editorial headed "A failure of leadership at the highest levels".
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