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Image - default image of Commonwealth Club building and logo

Abu Ghraib: The Aftermath

Duration
1:17:56

Abu Ghraib investigator Antonio Taguba, will reflect on his 2004 inquiry into the Abu Ghraib prison that led to the high profile report on prisoner abuse. According to an article published in The New Yorker Magazine, Taguba, is now holding senior defense officials accountable for the Abu Ghraib abuses. He will discuss the scandal’s effect on our military operations, information collection, economic bargaining, and our ability to practice successful and effective diplomacy. He will also share his firsthand experience of the prison and the military personnel’s conduct there.

In January 2004, U.S. Army Major General Taguba and his team were brought in to investigate alleged abuse and misconduct by U.S. Army personnel of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. His report and testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee brought his investigation into the spotlight of domestic and international media. The classified report found “sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses” in this U.S. operated prison near Baghdad. At the time of the investigation Taguba was the deputy commanding general for support, Army Central Command and Combined Forces Land Component Command, based in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Forced into retirement in January of this year, Taguba was the second-highest ranking Filipino-American officer in the U.S. Army.
 

This program was recorded live on June 25, 2007

Speakers

Antonio Taguba

Retired Major General, U.S. Army; U.S. Principal Military Investigator, Abu Ghraib Prison