U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is in Baghdad today (Thursday) and has visited the U.S. - run detention facility at the center of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal.
Under tight security, Mr. Rumsfeld went to the Abu Ghraib prison not far from the Iraqi capital.
Mr. Rumsfeld said he wants to discuss the prisoner abuse issue with officials responsible for the daily operations of the detention facilities.
The defense secretary said he cares that detainees are treated right, soldiers behave correctly and command systems work.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers is accompanying Mr. Rumsfeld on what is his fifth visit to Iraq since Saddam Hussein was ousted from power last year.
Seven American soldiers have been charged with abusing prisoners at the Abu Ghraib detention facility between October and December of last year.
Information for this report is provided by AFP and Reuters.