15 years after torture at Abu Ghraib, a historic ruling in the fight for accountability

[Solly Mack]

Nearly 15 years after the horrific abuses at the Abu Ghraib "hard site" prison in Iraq came to light, a Virginia federal judge ruled that the mistreatment of our three Iraqi plaintiffs who were detained there constitutes torture, war crimes, and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The ruling also held that the private military contractor CACI Premier Technology can be held liable for its employees conspiring to commit and aiding and abetting these crimes, rejecting the company's decade-long claim it should be shielded from liability.

Finally, a chance at some accountability for U.S. war crimes.

[PoliticAverse]

1. You shouldn't be shielded from liability for illegal acts. n/t

[Solly Mack]

5. Nope. None of the guilty should.

[malaise]

2. Very important

Get thee to the greatest page

[Solly Mack]

6. Thank you, malaise

[malaise]

7. About time we see justice

[brer cat]

3. Very much needed accountability.

I wish the ruling applied to the government officials who were culpable.

[Solly Mack]

4. Me, too.

But maybe that will come before it is too late and they die peacefully in their sleep.

Because they belong behind bars, dying there, as what they are - war criminals.

[Dustlawyer]

18. Always the sacrificial lambs but never the big fish: Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Great post, my dear Solly Mack!

I'm glad to see you posting. Hope you're feeling well!

This is a bit of news that I might well have missed. Thank you!

[Solly Mack]

20. I'm much better, thanks, CaliforniaPeggy!!

I got the news in my email.

[samir.g]

9. When I see gun control plans that don't apply to veterans

I can't help but think of these fine upstanding veterans who gleefully committed war crimes, and the many that were never caught.

[McCamy Taylor]

12. Veterans or military contractors?

[Solly Mack]

21. I think of all the guilty and wish them justice.

A justice the victims can see as actual justice.

[Greybnk48]

10. Thank goodness!

Allowing this conduct to be acceptable definitely would be a slippery slope into an ethical black hole. This is good for us and our country.

[magicarpet]

13. Good for us and good for the world to see...

Checks and balances in motion doing what should be done - if there was a wrong done - and a court of law recognizes the wrong - those done wrong/harm are entitled to just compensations.

We are a civilized society and recognize our obligations to maintain fairness and harmony that help sustain a civilized society that we want. Anything less is to permit and condone mayhem and chaos - which we seek to avoid.

[Solly Mack]

22. I'm hopeful for some accountability from this.

[McCamy Taylor]

11. At long last.

[Solly Mack]

23. Yes

[gratuitous]

14. Great

Let's see what this ruling means in a United States governed by sadists and madmen.

[Solly Mack]

24. There is that, unfortunately.

But this happened under sadists and madmen.

[charliea]

15. Corporate Capital Punishment

After they've paid whatever fine is assessed, hopefully enough to let the victims and surviving family live a life of luxury (after lawyers fees), seize their remaining assets as punitive punishment and revoke their corporate charter. Also they should publish who in the Bush administration authorized the use of this company. An argument can be made that their violating the Constitution since the Constitution's Supremacy Clause means all treaties are the law of the land. The US ratified the Convention against Torture more than 20 years ago. Perpetrators can/must be punished, so the corporation has to go...

Might add a little trepidation to the other bad actors

[Solly Mack]

25. I hope CACI is punished.

And I hope this opens the doors to go after the rest of the guilty.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. The long arm of history and of the law will never whitewash evil doing

though at times it sure is slow

[Solly Mack]

26. Not sure I agree with that sentiment - evil is all too often white-washed and for many, it

remains that way. Sadly.

Look at all the stupid stuff said about slavery, for example.

But this news gives me some hope.

[annabanana]

17. I have been waiting for this for 15 years.

Torture done in my name horrifies me.

[Solly Mack]

27. Yes. Still does. Always will.

[shadowmayor]

19. Baghdad Central Correction Facility

Spent 2005 or OIF3 in Abu Ghraib as an NCO attached to the 18th MP's sent to "restore America's honor and dignity". I was an engineer/electrician and crawled all over that horrible place. The leaders wanted us to call it BCCF instead of Abu Ghraib, but that never worked. Just as we had no business invading Iraq, using Abu Ghraib was an especially sadistic and tone deaf move by Rummy and Wolfie and Cheney. The American public doesn't have a clue about the level of torture and death that took place there, both before we arrived and after. The stacking and stripping of Iraqi prisoners really didn't surprise the Iraqi's too much, as that behavior was expected in Abu Ghraib. In fact, many of the detainees weren't particularly bothered by it. But they knew that Americans had raped, tortured and murdered prisoners - a story that was widely known in Iraq before the revelations of torture made it to the good ol' USA. And still, those pictures won't be released.

Lock the whole Bush war team away in the Hague as they deserve. Then give 'em a quick trial and a good hanging just like they gave to Saddam. That would be apropos in my book.

[Solly Mack]

28. I'd like to see them in prison for the next 60 years...or whatever time remains of their lives.

[erronis]

29. CACI has been an example of the crap around DC that will do ANYTHING for $$$s

I've worked for many of these bandits (not CACI but no better) and they will sell their children to get a contract.

Contracts with the DOD or better the "agencies" are non-regulated and involve a huge amount of money and favors trading hands with no accountability. Even if there is nominal accountability, the DOD/etc. won't pony up with any numbers.

I can name 100's of fly-by-night and quote/unquote established corporations that suck at the taxpayers' teats. And good luck trying to find out the flow of money. There is no honesty or patriotism among these thieves.