The Associated Press reported that Charles Graner Jr. was released from the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth and will be on probation until Christmas Day 2014.
Graner and his former girlfriend, former Pfc. Lynndie England, and a handful of other members of Maryland's 372nd Military Police Company were convicted of physically and sexually abusing detainees in Iraq. Photos showed Graner, England and others smiling and giving the thumbs-up in photos of naked prisoners in a pyramid, as well as other images, including one of a hooded prisoner hooked up to an electrical device.
It's really disappointing that Graner wasn't required to serve his entire sentence for the shame he brought on himself and the country. As if we needed another reminder, here's Graner giving the thumbs-up over a prisoner's corpse.
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As usual, the "Pitch" has shown its inability to think outside the box or use constructive imagination. The release of Charles Graner Jr., the supposed "ring-leader" of the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal is hardly news. What is even more difficult to believe is that a Reservist Sergeant assigned to a Military Police unit activated because of Iraq was the one who was responsible for the majority of the abuse which occurred at Abu Ghraib. Any simple web search will reveal that Graner was not too bright (or successful) on the outside in his civilian employment as a janitor or as a prison guard. First, Abu Ghraib housed somewhere between 8,000 to 14,000 prisoners when Graner and the other Reservists were serving in Iraq and the facility was commanded by Brigadier General Janis Karpinski. This in of itself means that there were several hundred soldiers, both officer and enlisted (as well as other commands or intelligence agencies present) in or around the facility, working in shifts, who would have known exactly what was going on. Second, those who are unfamiliar with the military do not know that most of these Military Police or "MP" Battalions are usually largely comprised of soldiers which regular units do not want or are trying to get rid of. The rule is to send your garbage, your unreliables, and your unstable troops to the MP Battalion so that you do not get your good men killed. Anyone examining the histories, educations, and records of the soldiers who were convicted of the Abu Ghraib abuse would have had some serious questions and reservations. Third, these facts along with testimony from other soldiers indicated the presence of professional intelligence agencies with trained interrogators (the CIA) which would not have a moral dilemma or guilty conscience crisis allowing a bunch of low ranking unimaginative buffoons, who were given far too much authority, with far too little rank, to take the wrap for violating the Geneva Convention or UCMJ (Uniform Code of Military Justice) while the professionals moved on to bigger and better things. Brigadier General Karpinski said she had no knowledge of what was occurring. (At the risk of being blunt-Both Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles would have seen this one coming.) Fourth, the actions of Graner and the other soldiers at Abu Ghraib has done more to endanger American servicemens lives and cause our enemies to determine to continue to fight and die vice make peace. However, the media has also got to admit to their irresponsible part in this sad affair. Publishing the pictures of the abuse at Abu Ghraib in order to make a sensational story and get a few moments of fame in the news also needlessly placed too many Americans serving into harms way. Muslims not really interested in the fight became energized and decided to join in and fight against Americans because of the photos published concerning Abu Ghraib.
This entire scandal was a mess. Charles Graner Jr. is guilty of the crimes which he committed, yet from all of the other part of the story which have been omitted or ignored I do not think he was the true ringleader.
It's called 'War'. Bad things happen in war and I am not sure we should have punished anyone for any of this. The U.S. has been the nicest occupying force ever in the history of world conflict and I do not think that anyone really notices. There is nothing wrong with soldiers taking pictures of themselves next to dead bodies. What did you send them over there to do? Pass out candy? Armies kill people. It's the name of the game. Armies also mistreat prisoners. This is a fact of human nature.
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