Major General Taguba: "You can't sweep unlawful activities under the table"

[babylonsister]

"You can't sweep unlawful activities under the table"

Abu Ghraib investigator Antonio Taguba talks to Salon about why he backs a commission to examine Bush torture policies.

By Mark Benjamin
Pages 1 2


Reuters/Larry Downing

Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq by U.S. military personnel, May 11, 2004.



Feb. 20, 2009 | WASHINGTON -- President Obama vowed that "the United States will not torture" only two days into his new administration. But one big question Obama hasn't answered is whether and how to investigate notorious Bush-era interrogation and detention policies. On Thursday, 18 human rights organizations, former State Department officials and former law enforcement and military leaders asked the president to create a nonpartisan commission to investigate those allegedly abusive detention practices.

Retired Maj. Gen. Tony Taguba, who investigated the famed abuses at Abu Ghraib, signed on to the effort. He explained his support in an interview with Salon. Taguba agrees with many attorneys who think it would be difficult, and perhaps impossible, to prosecute former Bush administration officials. A nonpartisan fact-finding commission, however, might provide some degree of accountability for official U.S. detention and interrogation policies that Taguba called misguided and illegal.

Taguba would like to see a broad mandate for the commission, including a study of administration claims that abuse gleans good intelligence, which he fervently disputes. And while he believes the commission should look at the decisions of military and civilian policymakers, he has a particular interest in getting to the bottom of civilian leaders' claims for the legality of the administration's interrogation and detention policies, which he called "despicable and questionable." The retired general would also like to see the commission empowered to make recommendations for the future, to help ensure such abuses never occur again.

You are best known for doing an honest investigation of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib. You suffered some consequences for that. Is that fair to say?

As far as consequences are concerned, the report and testimony were not going to be well received. I followed my conscience and integrity -- the best I could do to honor the Army uniform I had the privilege of wearing for over 34 years.

They parked you at the back of the Pentagon in retribution, right?

I was disappointed in my assignment back to the Pentagon to be on Rumsfeld's staff. I was suspicious about the assignment. But I served at the pleasure of the president and performed as expected. It was conveyed to me by close friends that I had to be watched closely by senior leaders.

more...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/02/20/taguba/

[bobthedrummer]

1. K&R

Taguba Report with Annexes
www.dod.gov/pubs/foi/detainees/taguba/

[Gregorian]

2. I don't want politics involved. Stand them up before an international tribunal.

I wonder just how many aren't tainted by military involvement in this country. I don't trust a commission.

[Demeter]

3. Paging Nancy Pelosi! Urgent Message! Please Pick Up the White Courtesy Phone

[defendandprotect]

4. Major General Taguba -- what a wonderful man -- honest and unique these day!!

Especially versus the vile Bush administration --- !!!

We have the information . . . let the trials begin--!!!