Mark Rothschild

The star witness before yesterday’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing was Army Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba. Taguba carried out an investigation on the activities of the Army’s 800th Military Police Brigade at Abu Ghraib prison. Afterward, he wrote a 6,000 page report, the summary of which was leaked to the press by Seymour M. … Continue reading “Gen. Sanchez’ Command OK’d Use of Dogs on Prisoners”

“Banned” methods of prisoner interrogation were approved at the highest levels of US command. Methods authorized include so-called pain-inducing “stress positions” in which detainees are bound to stand or squat until they are unable to comply, or until they break. The use of these techniques was confirmed in a press conference at the Pentagon. Although … Continue reading “New General, Old Methods at Iraq Prisons”

The Administration, camera-shy over the last few days, was doing heavy-duty damage control Wednesday in Washington and Baghdad. US President George W. Bush went on Arab language satellite television stations on Wednesday to try to quench smoldering international anger in the wake of the public release of the Abu Ghraib prison torture photos. Al-Hurra satellite … Continue reading “No Apology from Bush for Abusive Troops”

Further embarrassment regarding torture at the US military prison at Abu Ghraib, Iraq emerged today, as high-level US civilian officials denied knowledge of torture in Iraq. US officials have stuck to the story that they had no prior knowledge of the torture going on at Abu Ghraib but that tale is starting to unravel, as … Continue reading “Rumsfeld ‘Unsure’ of Torture In Iraq”

The temperature in Washington heated up today as more news about torture in Iraq surfaced. Perhaps seeking a respite, President Bush escaped Washington, heading for South Bend, Indiana, and a campaign event. Elsewhere, in response the growing world-wide dismay over the abuses at the Abu Ghraib military prison, U.S. commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo … Continue reading “Officials Tight-Lipped on Torture Allegations”

US Army Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, the officer who has been at the center of a storm about abuse and torture by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, broke her silence Saturday. General Karpinski was the commander of Abu Ghraib prison. Speaking to the press from her home in South Carolina, General Karpinski … Continue reading “Commander of Torture Prison Blames Army”

American citizens held since 2003 at the Abu Ghraib military prison may be among those imprisoned and tortured by the US military in Iraq. The American General in charge of U.S. prisons in Iraq, Brig. Gen Janis Karpinski, said in September 2003 that Americans being held at the Abu Ghraib prison were being interrogated by … Continue reading “Americans Being Held at US Torture Prison in Iraq?”

President Bush may never have actually read the memo contained in his President’s Daily Brief (and here) titled “Bin Ladin [sic] Determined To Strike in US.” The brief has been at the center of a controversy about whether President Bush took appropriate action to protect the country prior to the attacks on 9-11. The “President’s … Continue reading “President Bush May Never Have Read Bin Laden Brief”