Abu Ghraib's historical parallel

I've been reading Edmund Morris's fascinating book about Teddy Roosevelt, Theodore Rex. In it, Morris relates how Pres. Roosevelt dealt with a situation very much similar to the situation Pres. Bush faces in Iraq with the current Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

America at that time had recently defeated the Spanish in Cuba and the Philippine Islands. Much like in Iraq today, the US Army was called to rebuild these nations into independent, democratic countries. Again, much like in today's Iraq, US soldiers faced a native people that had never tasted freedom, were mostly Muhammadans, and brutalized and mutilated captured American soldiers. Reports made their way back to Washington of "atrocities perpetrated by American forces against the insurrectos in the Philippines." The Commanding General of the Army, Nelson A. Miles, sought to use these secret reports as political ammunition against Pres. Roosevelt and Secretary of War Elihu Root (who basically held the same position as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld holds today), while at the same time making a political hero out of himself. Sound familiar? Look at today's Dems trying to make political heroes of themselves out of the tragedy at Abu Ghraib - Kerry, Kennedy, Levin, Pelosi, etc.

Similar to today's problems, the US military "acknowledged 44 cases of documented cruelty, of which 39... resulted in convictions under the military justice system. Aside from these lapses, 'the war in the Philippines has been conducted by the American army, with self-restraint, and with humanity, never surpassed, if ever equaled, in any conflict.'" Roosevelt dealt quickly and decisively with those in command who participated in the atrocities in the Philippines. Bush could do the same by rooting out any commanders that are to blame for the lack of control at Abu Ghraib and dealing with the as he sees fit. The Gardener Report (which fomented the scandal in 1902) did not hurt Roosevelt politically because of his quick action. There may still be time for Pres. Bush to do the same as regards Abu Ghraib.