Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, one the warden at Abu Ghraib, spoke out against Rumsfield in a recent interview for a Spanish Newspaper.

From Reuters:

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the prison’s former U.S. commander said in an interview on Saturday.

Former U.S. Army Brigadier General Janis Karpinski told Spain’s El Pais newspaper she had seen a letter apparently signed by Rumsfeld which allowed civilian contractors to use techniques such as sleep deprivation during interrogation.

Karpinski, who ran the prison until early 2004, said she saw a memorandum signed by Rumsfeld detailing the use of harsh interrogation methods.

“The handwritten signature was above his printed name and in the same handwriting in the margin was written: “Make sure this is accomplished”,” she told Saturday’s El Pais.

A disgraced officer who was unable to maintain control of her command is now lashing out where she can in order to try and redirect some of the blame which rightly falls on her shoulders. I hope she kept a copy of this “memorandum” for her records as without it she only looks worse that ever.

I also have to wonder why she opted to tell this story to a Spanish newspaper, and not a US one. She was born and raised in New Jersey, and is a US Citizen. If the US Media would not publish the story it must be sketchy at best.

She does try to tone it down a bit latter on:

“The methods consisted of making prisoners stand for long periods, sleep deprivation … playing music at full volume, having to sit in uncomfortably … Rumsfeld authorized these specific techniques.”

Standing? Loud Music? Uncomfortable Chairs? I cannot see how any of these are illegal. I do not agree the Geneva Convention applied in this case, nor are they the issue which got her suspended and demoted. This sounds like a smoke screen, and nothing more.

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