It has seemed very strange that Gen. Sanchez would be sent to 'get to the bottom' of the Iraq atrocities mess when he seemed implicated in them himself. Of course, if you want a cover-up, send the guy with a lot to hide. Now Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski, not obviously the world's most disinterested source herself, fingers Sanchez, and maybe Rumsfeld, for ordering the use of dogs and other “types of coercive interrogation methods for detainees at Abu Ghraib'” like those that Gen. Sanchez approved for use on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Note also that “The Pentagon denied the assertion Thursday,” so this may be CYA by Karpinski…
Recent Bluessky Posts- There is: Reward your friends and those who pay you. Punish opponents and perceived enemies. June 13, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- I gather that Trump's name came off the Kennedy Center after the courts rejected the ridiculous 11th hour attempt (unhinged brief not signed by career lawyers) to block it, but the work was done behind a tarp to block the cameras. Missed opportunity to sell tickets; might have raised real money. June 13, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- Seen at MIA in the TSA departures queue, this invitation to 'self-deport' in exchange for a $1000 per person and a free flight. Although I recall reading they don't necessarily deliver. In any case a sour taste for the start of international travel. June 13, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- In a strange way you almost could admire the Trumpies' leave-no-stone-unturned approach to graft. There is really no bottom. No limit. And justice is at best slow. June 12, 2026 Michael Froomkin
- Jotwell Adlaw: Fred Jacob, Administrative Agencies & the People who Love Them, JOTWELL (June 12, 2026) (reviewing Anya Bernstein & Cristina Rodriguez, Working with Statutes, 103 Tex. L. Rev. 921 (2025)), adlaw.jotwell.com/__trashed-2/. June 12, 2026 Jotwell
The problem with Karpinski’s assertion is that the photos show troops under her command with the dogs, pyramids, etc. Whether there were abuses in the MI interrogations as well (which seems likely, based on various reports), is irrelevant to the central abuse scandal and allegations against the MPs. Karpinski is in the MPs’ chain of command. She can’t credibly claim there were orders from higher headquarters for them to abuse prisoners unless she passed those orders on herself–which she consistently denies.
As Professor Froomkin pointed out in a recent post, where is Congress on this?
Instead we get shocked, shocked responses, sort of apologies, and nothing else. (I keep thinking My Lai.)
All the photos should be released and let the American public decide in November. Of course, for that reason, we will probably not see the photos.