General Accuses White House of War Crimes

Washington Post

The two-star general who led an Army investigation into the horrific detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib has accused the Bush administration of war crimes and is calling for accountability.

In his 2004 report on Abu Ghraib, then-Major General Anthony Taguba concluded that "numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees." He called the abuse "systemic and illegal." And, as Seymour M. Hersh reported in the New Yorker, he was rewarded for his honesty by being forced into retirement.

Pamela Hess of the Associated Press has more on the report, which resulted from "the most extensive medical study of former U.S. detainees published so far" and "found evidence of torture and other abuse that resulted in serious injuries and mental disorders."

Defender of Jail Abuse Pleads Amnesia

Sydney Morning Herald

IF EVER there was a case that cried out for enhanced interrogation techniques, it was the appearance of the Pentagon's former top lawyer in the US Senate.

William "Jim" Haynes II, the man who blessed the use of dogs, hoods and nudity to pry information out of recalcitrant detainees, proved to be a model of evasion himself as he resisted all attempts at inquiry by the Armed Services Committee.

Did he ask a subordinate to get information about harsh questioning techniques?
"My memory is not perfect."

Did he see a memo about the effects of these techniques?
"I don't specifically remember when I saw this."

Did he remember doing something with the information?
"I don't remember doing something with this …"

When did he discuss these methods with other Bush Administration officials?
"I don't know precisely when, and I cannot discuss it further without getting into classified information."