A former U-S military spokesman in Iraq is offering his take on the latest photos showing apparent abuse of prisoners. General Mark Kimmitt tells al-Jazeera that photos which appear to show SEALs manhandling Iraqis are isolated acts.

Time stamps suggest the photos were taken before the abuse at Abu Ghraib. A former military spokesman says yet more photos showing apparent abuse of Iraqi prisoners only reflect isolated acts.

General Mark Kimmitt was serving as the U-S military spokesman
in Iraq when the story broke about the Abu Ghraib prison
abuse. He's now based in Qatar. In an interview on al-Jazeera Saturday, he said the photos may serve as a "tool" for critics to show the U-S military in a negative light. He says only a small number of U-S
troops have abused Iraqis.

The military has announced a criminal investigation into photos that appear to show Navy SEALs in Iraq sitting on hooded and handcuffed prisoners.

Other photos show what appear to be bloodied prisoners -- one
with a gun to his head.

An Associated Press reporter found the images on a photo-sharing
Web site.