The passing of Robert Fisk, the man who exposed the Israelis at Abu Ghraib Robert Fisk wrote a stunning article in the British newspaper The Independent entitled, “Abu Ghraib Torture Trail Leads to Israel.”

…by Jonas E. Alexis, VT Editor

Robert Fisk, the man who exposed the Israelis in 2004, has died at the age of 74. Christian Broughton, editor of the Independent, wrote of Fisk: “Fearless, uncompromising, determined and utterly committed to uncovering the truth and reality at all costs, Robert Fisk was the greatest journalist of his generation. The fire he lit at The Independent will burn on.”[1]

In May of 2004, Robert Fisk wrote a stunning article in the British newspaper The Independent entitled, “Abu Ghraib Torture Trail Leads to Israel.” In that article Fisk, who went to Abu Ghraib at the request of U.S. Gen. Janis Karpinski, reported that many of the abusers at Abu Ghraib were “third country nationals,” individuals who were joint citizens of America and Israel. In fact, many of the soldiers responsible were trained in Israel.[2] Fisk pointed out very clearly that behind the torture were Mossad and Israeli agents. He added:

“The actual interrogators accused of encouraging U.S. troops to abuse Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib jail were working for at least one company with extensive military and commercial contacts with Israel.

“The head of an American company whose personnel are implicated in the Iraqi tortures, it now turns out, attended an ‘anti-terror’ training camp in Israel and, earlier this year, was presented with an award by Shaul Mofaz, the right-wing Israeli defense minister.

“According to J.P. London’s company, CACI International, the visit of London — sponsored by an Israeli lobby group and including U.S. congressmen and other defense contractors — was ‘to promote opportunities for strategic partnerships and joint ventures between U.S. and Israeli defense and homeland security agencies.’”[3]

Because of these abuses, which include sexual assault and beating, numerous detainees attempted to commit suicide. Fisk called these acts “the porno interrogations at Abu Ghraib.” At least four of the detainees succeeded in committing suicide[4]; some “hanged themselves with makeshift nooses.”[5] The U.S. of course closely guarded this fact.[6]

We learn that nothing was gained from the torture,[7] despite the fact that the Bush administration declared otherwise. Some of the prisoners in Abu Ghraib were women, teenagers, and civilians.458 The torture was carried out in contradiction to the Geneva Convention and international law. Yet no one ever prosecuted or even boycotted Israel or the Bush administration, which had agreed to all these inhumane procedures (one attempt was made to put Bush on trial but it quickly faded459).

In the meantime, Israel continues to employ double standards without a second thought—while pressing the West to stop Iran’s nuclear program, they amass piles of nuclear weapons from countries such as Germany.[8] Israeli military historian Martin van Cleveld reported in 2004 that Israel possessed massive amount of nuclear warheads and warned that Israel would use them should any country attempt to bring her down. He even compared Israel to a “mad dog.”[9]

Yet again no country in the Western world has dared to question Israel’s nuclear program, nor has Israel allowed international inspections. If that is not double standard, what is?

Two cheers for Robert Fisk. He will be missed, but not forgotten.

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• [1] :Robert Fisk: Celebrated Middle East correspondent of The Independent dies aged 74,” Independent, November 3, 2020.
• [2] Robert Fisk, “Abu Ghraib Torture Trail Leads to Israel,” Independent, May 26, 2004.
• [3] Ibid.
• [4] “‘Fingernail Slash’ at Guantanamo,” BBC, December 7, 2007
• [5] “Guantanamo Commander Says 3 Detainees Hanged Themselves with Makeshift Nooses,” USA Today, June 11, 2006; “Triple Suicide at Guantanamo Camp,” BBC, June 11, 2006; “Three Die in Guantanamo Suicide Pact,” The Times, June 11, 2006.
• [6] “Mass Guantanamo Suicide Protest,” BBC, January 25, 2007.
• [7] Matthew Kalman, “Were Abu Ghraib Abuses Learned from Israel?,” San Francisco Chronicle, June 27, 2004
• [8] Bruce Riedel, “Israel’s Military Secret,” National Interest, June 7, 2012
• [9] “The War Game,” Guardian, Sept 21, 2003. 
• https://www.veteranstoday.com/2020/11/06/the-passing-of-robert-fisk-the-man-who-exposed-the-israelis-at-abu-ghraib/