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There is more to this than the "He was given orders from above," and "I was just following orders," narrative that frames this issue. There is a psychological reordering of soldiers in the boot camp process, that breaks down their natural inhibitions to kill, torture, and accept the grotesque realities of war as normal. Everyday soldiers, not necessarily sadists, are susceptible to allowing an authority to usurp their own dormant moral code, resulting in war crimes. All American conflicts show evidence of war crimes. The actions at Abu Graib pale in comparison to many during the Vietnam conflict. We are too quick to point the finger of individual responsibility (i.e. Granger, Bush, Rumsfeld..,) and should realize there is a system that creates these scenarios of war crimes. Understanding the confluence of events and conditions necessary to incubate these crimes, will help us avoid them in future conflicts. Sweeping war crimes under a rug by 'holding the individual accountable' or avoidance, as we as a nation have done during all conflicts, only results in the continuation of the problem.
