Graner was the first of eight soldiers in a military police unit at Abu Ghraib to face trial. Three others reached plea-bargain agreements for lesser sentences. Staff Sgt. Ivan Frederick received an eight-year sentence, Spc. Jeremy Sivits was sentenced to one year in prison, and Spc. Megan Ambuhl received no prison time, but was demoted in rank. Each of them testified against Graner.

Two other soldiers charged in the case, Sgt. Javal Davis and Spc. Sabrina Harman, are scheduled for court-martial in February. Spc. Lynndie England still awaits a decision on whether she will face trial. England is seen in one photograph dragging a naked Iraqi prisoner by the neck with a leash and in another making a mocking gesture as if shooting the genitals of a naked and hooded inmate.

Photos of U.S. troops abusing Iraqis at Abu Ghraib appeared in the media worldwide last May. As the Militant pointed out at the time, such practices are widespread throughout the U.S. prison system as well.

According to the British daily Guardian, the Pentagon said at least 20 soldiers, including one officer, will face courts-martial in coming months on charges ranging from abuse to murder of Iraqi prisoners. First Lt. Jack Seville is charged with involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault because a member of his platoon pushed two Iraqis from a bridge into the Tigris River, one of whom is said to have drowned. Seville’s co-accused, Sgt. Tracy Perkins, was convicted of assault, but acquitted of manslaughter charges. Perkins was sentenced to six months in jail and a reduction in rank.

In a separate case, Staff Sgt. Cardenas Alban was sentenced to a year in prison for the “mercy” killing of an Iraqi civilian teenager who had been badly wounded in crossfire in a section of Baghdad between U.S. troops and militias opposing the Iraqi government. A military criminal investigator said Alban and Staff Sgt. Johnny Horne Jr. decided to put the youth “out of his misery” because of the severity of his wounds. Horne was sentenced in December to three years in prison.
 
 
Related articles:
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Debate shows factionalism among U.S. rulers
U.S. troops in Iraq unleash raids in Mosul  
 
 
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