Republicans Anonymous

In a development undoubtedly surprising to the 51% of Americans that weren't paying attention, it seems more and more likely the Abu Ghraib guards really were following (illegal) orders. It also appears the top US General in Iraq was fully informed about "ghost prisoners.":

Army Documents Shed Light on CIA 'Ghosting'
Systematic Concealment Of Detainees Is Found
By Josh White
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 24, 2005; Page A15

Senior defense officials have described the CIA practice of hiding unregistered detainees at Abu Ghraib prison as ad hoc and unauthorized, but a review of Army documents shows that the agency's "ghosting" program was systematic and known to three senior intelligence officials in Iraq.

Army and Pentagon investigations have acknowledged a limited amount of ghosting, but more than a dozen documents and investigative statements obtained by The Washington Post show that unregistered CIA detainees were brought to Abu Ghraib several times a week in late 2003, and that they were hidden in a special row of cells. Military police soldiers came up with a rough system to keep track of such detainees with single-digit identification numbers, while others were dropped off unnamed, unannounced and unaccounted for.

The documents show that the highest-ranking general in Iraq at the time acknowledged that his top intelligence officer was aware the CIA was using Abu Ghraib's cells, a policy the general abruptly stopped when questions arose...
Source: Washington Post (Emphasis added.)

Sounds like some grunts got railroaded to protect some Big Brass posterior. No wonder Rumsfeld and the gang don't like the idea of a world court for human rights abuses... they see themselves as probable defendants before a court where George "Duh-Bill-Ewe" Bush can't issue them pardons...