This story of Iraqi prisoner abuse is already big, and it's going to get bigger. So here are the pieces of the puzzle as I see them:

1.) The Taguba Report on the investigation of the abuse is undated. (Sy Hersh's New Yorker story about the Taguba Report says it was completed in "late February.") However,

2.) Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Dan Rather eight days before CBS's report on the pictures was about to air, asking for a two-week delay. Myers cited the safety of American hostages and tensions in Fallujah as the reasons for his very unusual request. CBS granted his request, and held the report until last Wednesday, April 28.

3.) Two weeks before April 28 is April 14. Eight days before that is April 6. Therefore, Gen. Myers called Dan Rather on April 6 (approximately.)

4.) On April 28 -- the very day that CBS aired their report -- Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers went to Capitol Hill to brief Congress on what was going on in Iraq. It was a closed-door briefing.

So, Rumsfeld and Myers knew of the abuse, and had since at least April 6. But they didn't tell Congress on April 28.

It's no surprise that various members of Congress are upset and felt blindsided by the revelations of torture. Senator Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (and possible pick for Secretary of State in a Kerry adminstration) is especially upset, and yesterday issued a press release saying in part:

Accountability is essential. So the question for me is what did Secretary Rumsfeld and others in the Pentagon know, when did they know it, and what did they do about it. If the answers are unsatisfactory, resignations should be sought.

It seems fairly obvious to me, based on all of the above, that Myers and Rumsfeld knew of the abuse, yet didn't tell Congress on April 28. I'm going to go one step farther than Biden: Rumsfeld should resign.

P.S.: As I write this, it just came out that Rumsfeld will be going to Capitol Hill at 11:45 Friday morning to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the scandal. Should be interesting.

ADDENDUM: And it sure sounds like Rummy's in the doghouse.