More mystery surrounding Abu Ghraib

Yesterday I posted about the confusion over these reports. Today I read that Salon interviewed Taguba which only adds to the confusion.

"Retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba denied reports that he has seen the prisoner-abuse photos that President Obama is fighting to keep secret, in an exclusive interview with Salon Friday night."

Salon then goes on to quote what the Telegraph says Taguba said in regards to prisoners being raped and then says this.

"The actual quote in the Telegraph was accurate, Taguba said -- but he was referring to the hundreds of images he reviewed as an investigator of the abuse at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq -- not the photos of abuse that Obama is seeking to suppress."

But that doesn't make sense since, despite claims otherwise, Taguba never mentioned prisoner rape in his report. And, no one was ever charged for prisoner rape. All of which begs the questions I raised yesterday.

Confusion over report of Iraq abuse photos

Something doesn't make sense here.

"The Telegraph quoted retired U.S. Army Major General Antonio Taguba as saying the pictures showed "torture, abuse, rape and every indecency." Taguba conducted an investigation in 2004 into abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison."

Why didn't Taguba report that at the time? None of the soldiers were charged or convicted of rape. Did Taguba cover that up? If so, why speak out now, especially since this would seem to open Taguba up for charges himself? On top of that, Taguba would have known that there was always the possiblity that the photos would be released. Again, that would raise questions as to why he didn't report the alleged rapes at the time. Reuters alleges Taguba did report rapes.

"Taguba, who retired in January 2007, included allegations of rape and sexual abuse in his report. He was quoted in the Telegraph as saying he supported Obama's decision not to release the pictures."

I don't remember that and I guess his report will have to be looked at again. But if that's true, why wasn't anyone charged for rape? There's no way the left wing media would have let that go unrepoted.

Stranger still is Obama's denial of the existence of rape photos. Why do Bush a favor?

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration strongly denied a British report on Thursday that images of apparent rape and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners are among photographs that it is trying to prevent being made public."

Someone's lying.

Update. Here's Tagubar's report. I searched it using the term "rape" and could not find one instance where Tagubar included allegations of rape.

Abu Ghraib - abuse not directed from the top

It is a rare day when I can recommend a BBC article. In fact, I think this is only the third time; the second being for this same reporter. Paul Reynolds report is pretty even handed and should be a model or other BBC reporters.

"The lack of convictions among the senior ranks leaves doubt as to whether the abuse was part of a wider policy of condoning or even encouraging the breaking of prisoners' morale in advance of interrogation. ...

And Joe Darby, the soldier who blew the whistle by giving to investigators a CD of the photos presented to him by Charles Graner, also denied it was organised from on high.

In a long interview with Gentleman's Quarterly, he said: "Everybody thinks there was an order from high up, or that somebody in command must have known.

"Everybody is wrong. Nobody in command knew about the abuse, because nobody in command cared enough to find out. That was the real problem...

Gen Taguba did not find that there was a deliberate policy of abuse ordered from above.

"There was sadism that was certainly not authorised," he reported. "It was kind of like 'Animal House' on the night shift."

What was done was wrong and those that were responsible have been punished. Those that should have done their duty and paid more attention, have also been punished. The one punished the most is America's image.

Well done on an excellent article Paul.