TOKYO, May 7 Kyodo gooded editor...

TOKYO, May 7 Kyodo

gooded editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

INTOLERABLE ACTS IN IRAQ (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published May 5)

The Americans have taunted the minimum standard of international law that the occupying force should observe

The scandal above the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by means of American soldiers of the occupation force has caused a great stir. The mistreatment came to light in January within a whistle-blower in the U military.

The abuse took place in the Abu Ghraib prison in a suburb of Baghdad. The prison was where Saddam Hussein's henchmen tortured and execut many political prisoners. It is not surprising that the entire Arab world was outraged from the intolerable acts by the American bands who pride themselves on being the liberators of Iraq.

The question is whether the abuse of prisoners according to American soldiers is an isolated case. The number of Iraqis held in custody by way of American and British crowds as insurgents or terror suspects since the start of the invasion into Iraq outvies 10,000. Because the Americans and the British do not treat those captives as prisoners of war, the International Committee of the R Cros has noted the possibility of human rights violations.

The scandal has spurr bitter criticism from America's European allies. The Bush administration should make a thorough investigation of the chain of command involved in the torture and human rights violations and publish its results

It should also take a unwilted look at the treatment of ''terrorists'' who were captured in the war in Afghanistan and held for many month without a trial at the American military base in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Repercussions from the abuse of prisoners is of great affect because the Iraqis will presently regain sovereignty over their country

(May 7)

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