Publisher Description

On April 28, 2004, 60 Minutes II broadcast the now-infamous photos of prisoner abuse by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib. The news quickly spread worldwide, undermining the U.S. presence in Iraq.Despite several Department of Defense investigations and eleven courts-martial convictions, important questions remain about the events at Abu Ghraib. Who are these soldiers? How involved were top administration officials and army generals in the abuses? Were the soldiers simply following orders? Do these photographs depict a new American interrogation policy? Christopher Graveline and Michael Clemens provide the answers.No one has investigated the true story behind the events at Abu Ghraib as thoroughly as the authors. Only six people had complete knowledge of the Abu Ghraib investigation and prosecutions; Graveline and Clemens are two of them. They give readers unprecedented access to the inner workings of the investigation leading to the trials of PFC Lynndie England, Cpl. Charles Graner, and others. Complete with actual arguments of counsel, testimony, and evidence, this groundbreaking book puts the reader in the middle of the investigation and the subsequent trials, revealing one of the darker episodes in American military history.

Notes

Investigates the true story behind the photos of prisoner abuse by American soldiers at Abu Ghraib.

Author Biography

Michael Clemens served as a military policeman and investigator in the U.S. Army Reserve for twenty-two years, deploying to and conducting criminal investigations in Bosnia, Croatia, Hungary, Kuwait, and Iraq. As a civilian, he has worked as a vice and organized crime detective, a Deputy United States Marshal, and a federal agent. Christopher Graveline was the Army prosecutor involved in all but two of the major criminal prosecutions stemming from the Abu Ghraib scandal and was the lead prosecutor of Lynndie England. Previously, he served as a JAG attorney with the 101st Airborne Division; the US Army Legal Services Agency in Arlington, Virginia; V Corps in Heidelberg, Germany; and on deployments to Kosovo and Iraq. Graveline now works for the U.S. Department of Justice, where in 2008 he was one of the attorneys responsible for the successful human rights prosecution of Chuckie Taylor, the son of the former Liberian dictator, Charles Taylor, for torture.

Review

"A refreshing change from the journalistic tendency to hyperbole...Readers benefit from Graveline and Clemens' well-documented recollections."—Publishers Weekly
"In addition to using impeccable scholarship, [The Secrets of Abu Ghraib] explores the human dimensions of the [Abu Ghraib] tragedy and presents the reader with a fascinating and dramatic description of the people and scenes involved. Beyond the enjoyment of the read, the book presents a study of the rule of law and the rules of war, for generals and taxpayers, presidents and policymakers, about the complexities of investing young American lives in trouble spots around the world. Its drama and message will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers."—ticklethewire.com
"The Secrets of Abu Ghraib Revealed is an engrossing and sensitive narrative that goes from jailhouse to courthouse as if Grisham and Turow had shared plot tips with authors Graveline and Clemens."—Military Times
"The Secrets of Abu Ghraib Revealed proved to be as riveting as the courtroom scene in A Few Good Men. Graveline and Clemens deliver a potent, objective accounting of what actually happened at Abu Ghraib. Rather than preach, wax partisan, or leave the reader with unresolved conspiracy theories, the authors skillfully expose the truth while allowing readers to form their own conclusions. The abuses at Abu Ghraib were a stain on our nation's integrity, but the author's commitment to investigating the truth has greatly diminished that stain. Any American dissatisfied with conjecture should read this book and discover the truth."—Jon Adler, national president, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association
"Christopher Graveline and Michael Clemens have produced a masterpiece of research and balance on a subject sure to evoke controversy and profound emotion. The nightmare of Abu Ghraib became the nadir of America's efforts in Iraq, yet the truth of what went on at the prison has remained—until now—clouded by poor media coverage, politics, and the visceral reaction the infamous photos produced all over the world. Graveline and Clemens are the first to provide us a complete picture of what happened at Abu Ghraib. Told with a compelling and sometimes shocking narrative, The Secrets of Abu Ghraib Revealed ranks as the seminal work on the Iraq War. It is not to be missed."—John R. Bruning, author of The Devil's Sandbox: With the 102nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry at War in Iraq and coauthor of How to Break a Terrorist

Review Quote

" The Secrets of Abu Ghraib Revealed proved to be as riveting as the courtroom scene in A Few Good Men . Graveline and Clemens deliver a potent, objective accounting of what actually happened at Abu Ghraib. Rather than preach, wax partisan, or leave the reader with unresolved conspiracy theories, the authors skillfully expose the truth while allowing readers to form their own conclusions. The abuses at Abu Ghraib were a stain on our nation's integrity, but the author's commitment to investigating the truth has greatly diminished that stain. Any American dissatisfied with conjecture should read this book and discover the truth."

Details