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This article fails to make the important distinction between the apparent policies of military intelligence (and perhaps higher) at Abu Ghraib and the freelancing that Charles Graner conducted.
Some of the pictures from Abu Ghraib show acts that were apparently standard operating procedures. Stuff like stress positions, nakedness, panties on the heads of detainees. There has been very little accountability for the policies that led to these acts.
Some of the pictures show Graner and others simply committing crimes. Were Graner and others put into an environment where it was easier for these type of crimes to happen? Of course. But nobody can really argue that Graner was acting on orders from higher when he had detainees masturbate or when he decided to just beat them up.
Should there be accountability for the standard operating procedures? Yes. But Graner took it all a step beyond. He enjoyed torture and deserves every punishment he gets.
