the US government KNEW and did nothing
When I initially commented on the Iraqi pow treatment I blamed much of the problem on the US government. While I accepted that there were only a tiny number of soldiers mistreating prisoners I felt that it was a failure of the US system. I highlighted the fact that the government failed to provide soldiers with the Geneva convention requirements on treatment of soldiers, failed to give any training, failed to provide support, failed to provide leadership, and failed to provide supervision.
It now turns out that it was worse than that.
The US government was informed in January of prisoner abuses in Abu Ghraib prison. They comissioned a report. That report arrived in early March and is STILL sitting in Donald Rumsfeld intray unread. The report by Maj Gen Antonio Taguba found evidence of "sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses of Iraqi prisoners", including sexual abuse. They of course didn't bother informing the senate or the senate armed forces committee
The government knew and did nothing. They just didn't care. That's criminal. Not just emotionally but legally.
Paul.