[JURIST] A memo obtained Wednesday shows that the top US general in Iraq, Gen. George Casey [official profile], was aware of reports of abuse of detainees by Iraqi security forces in June. The memo, dated June 22, indicated that Casey heard reports of serious physical abuse of detainees by Iraqi forces, months before US forces discovered detainees showing signs of abuse [JURIST report] in an Iraqi interior ministry building in Baghdad. In the memo, Casey called the abuse a violation of Iraqi law and counterproductive to US operations in Iraq. Casey said that he expected US forces training the Iraqi security forces to educate them on respect for human rights, and that US forces had an obligation to take "all reasonable action" to halt cases of abuse. US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld [official profile] has sought clarification [JURIST report] on the final part of the memo concerning what action is required of US soldiers who discover cases of abuse after he appeared to differ over the answer with Marine Corps. Gen. Peter Pace at a press conference. Reuters has more.