Chapter 1, Part 4 Summary

After Abu Ghraib investigative promises, it became evident that the Pentagon and White House wanted the investigations to stop. Congress called for swift justice to halt the abuses, but the congressional outcry soon died out and legislation stalled. The court martial proceedings were conveniently slated for late 2004 (after the presidential elections). The Pentagon claimed that abuses in Afghanistan and Iraq were undertaken by a few individuals and not reflective of policy. They described it as the 'rotten apple syndrome.'

But the Bush Administration's decisions had enormous consequences concerning the United States reputation in the world. Some said that the mistreatment would come back to haunt the U.S. later. Comment was that Rumsfeld had lowered the bar and that it would be used as an excuse to ignore the Geneva Conventions in the future.

Chapter 1, Part 4 Analysis

The 'rotten apple'...