U.S. general in Abu Ghraib case retires after forced delay

U.S. Major General Geoffrey D. Miller, who commanded detention operations at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and helped organize the interrogation process at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, retired from the military on Monday, newspapers reported on Tuesday.

Miller had planned to retire from his two-star Army position in February, but his departure was delayed by a number of issues, including whether or not he would testify at the courts-martial of lower-ranking military personnel, The New York Times reported.

The general chose to retire without seeking promotion and a third star mainly because his legacy had been tarnished by allegations of abuse in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, The Washington Post reported, citing military officials and congressional sources.

As the top officer at Guantanamo Bay in 2002 and 2003, Miller implemented and oversaw a number of harsh interrogation tactics that included using dogs to frighten detainees, stripping captives naked and shackling them in stress positions to force them to talk.

He was sent to Iraq in the summer of 2003 to review detention systems and interrogation techniques. His mission was to recommend methods that would increase the success of intelligence-gathering as coalition forces battled a tenacious and growing insurgency.

Subsequently, dogs were used as a tool of intimidation against detainees at Abu Ghraib, and debate has swirled around who is responsible for the abusive interrogation procedures.

Miller initially invoked his right not to give a testimony that might incriminate him at the first court-martial involving a dog handler at Abu Ghraib, but he testified at a second court-martial in May for another dog-handler.

His initial refusal to testify prompted some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee to write to Army officials to ask them to delay his scheduled retirement until he appeared before the panel.

He was allowed to retire only after he assured members of the Senate Armed Services Committee in writing that he would make himself available to testify.

Source: Xinhua