A Seymour Hersh interview with General Anthony Taguba, who investigated Abu Ghraib, confirms details of the abuse not previously public. It also confirms that the torture was sanctioned from the top. Not quoted here, but General Janis Karpinski has testified that she saw a memorandum on “Interrogation techniques” pinned to the wall by military intelligence at Abu Ghraib, signed by Donald Rumsfeld himself. Karpinski was at the top of the line of command of the guards – the military police – but not the interrogators. Taguba here notes that Rumsfeld not only denied advance knowledge, but even tried afterwards to deny having seen Taguba’s report or knowing what had happened.
Doubtless more of the detail of the war crimes at Abu Ghraib, and of extraordinary rendition and Guantanamo, will continue to emerge in the next few months as the war party becomes totally discredited.
Read the interview: http://www.truthout.org:80/docs_2006/061707A.shtml
Criminals Control the Executive Branch
by Paul Craig Roberts
"The American people and their representatives in Congress must face the fact that criminal and dictatorial persons control executive power in the United States and immediately rectify this highly dangerous situation."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts194.htm…
In my opinion, the apparent inability to bring US govt war criminals to justice regarding the Vietnam war and the Gulf War has a direct bearing on the current situation whereby GB jnr, Rumsfeld, Blair, etc., clearly thought they could do whatever they wanted and somehow be immune from prosecution.
If the current crop of war criminals don't get justice meted out to them, the cycle will continue.
'… GB jnr, Rumsfeld, Blair, etc., clearly thought they could do whatever they wanted and somehow be immune from prosecution.'
And they were absolutely right. Of the lot, only Blaire faces any possibility of prosecution, and then only if some other EU state brings charges (the UK itself never will) and then only if the UK goes along with it. I'm not holding my breath, much as I'd love to see it.
Yes, a fine and very disturbing article. As always, shoot the messenger – in this case a clearly decent and honourable man.
It makes one wonder whether society really has a place for such people. Those with integrity seem destined to be treated in this outrageous and immoral manner.
Far too depressing for my Monday morning, I'm afraid. I have not yet managed to work up to my usual enraged state…
I am pretty hopeful about the possibility of bringing charges against Blair in Scotland, which has its own legal system.