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March 7, 2013

Report: U.S. Colonel Ignored Torture of Iraqi Militias Under His Watch 
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The Guardian of London has revealed new details on the Bush
administration's support for sectarian militias in its bid to defeat the
Iraqi resistance after the 2003 invasion. The Guardian reports a key
U.S. Army colonel behind the effort, James Steele, had firsthand
knowledge of brutal torture carried out by Iraqi surrogates but did
nothing to stop it. Speaking to The Guardian, an Iraqi general said
Steele was unfazed when the torture of a young prisoner interrupted his
lunch.

Munthader al-Samari: "One of the detainees was screaming. By chance,
James Steele was there outside washing his hands. He opened the door and
saw the detainee. He was hanging by his legs upside down. James Steele
didn't react at all when he saw this man. It was just normal. He closed
the door and came back to his seat in the advisers room."

Steele served as then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's liaison with
Iraq's Special Police Commandos. His stint in Iraq came 20 years after
overseeing the U.S. special operations forces that trained government
death squads in El Salvador.

 

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