Synopses & Reviews
So begins Army interrogator Tony Lagouranis's first briefing at Abu Ghraib. When the U.S. went to war with Iraq, Lagouranis-who joined the Army prior to September 11-was tapped to be an interrogator in places like Abu Ghraib and Fallujah. He believed in his mission, but he soon discovered that pushing the legal limits of interrogation was encouraged. Under orders, he-along with numerous other soldiers-abused and terrorized hundreds of prisoners by adding "enhancements" to "Fear Up Harsh," an official tactic designed to terrify prisoners into revealing information.
This is an unflinching first-hand account of how one man struggled with his own conscience and ultimately broke the silence surrounding interrogation practices. The first Army interrogator to step forward and publicly denounce these tactics, Lagouranis reveals what went on in Iraqi prisons-raising crucial questions about American conduct abroad.
Review
"A brave, forthright and much needed account of the often-ignored tragedies beyond the walls of Abu Ghraib." -Rory Kennedy, Director/Producer,
Ghosts of Abu Ghraib "A must read...Compelling, profound, important and terrifying." -John D. Huston, RADM, JAGC, USN (ret.) Judge Advocate General of the Navy (1997-2000)
Synopsis
"Something really bad happened here." So begins Army interrogator Tony Lagouranis's first briefing at Abu Ghraib. While Lagouranis's training stressed the rules of the Geneva Conventions, once in Iraq, he discovered that pushing the legal limits of interrogation was encouraged. Under orders, he-along with numerous other soldiers-abused and terrorized Iraqis by adding "enhancements" like dogs, hypothermia, and other techniques to "Fear Up Harsh"-the official tactic designed to frighten prisoners into revealing information. And he saw others do far worse.
The first Army interrogator to publicly step forward and break the silence surrounding these tactics, Lagouranis reveals what went on in Iraqi prisons- raising crucial questions about American conduct abroad.
About the Author
Tony Lagouranis has appeared on Democracy Now, the PBS Frontline documentary "The Torture Question," and MSNBC's Hardball. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Allen Mikaelian is a doctoral fellow in history at American University and author of the New York Times bestseller Medal of Honor.