Geoffrey D. Miller

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Geoffrey D. Miller

Geoffrey D. Miller (* 1949 in Gallipolis , Ohio ) is a former major general in the US Army . In 2002 he commanded the Joint Task Force Guantanamo and in 2004 succeeded Brigadier General Janis Karpinski as commander of Abu Ghuraib prison and also took over the post of deputy commanding general for prisoner operations of the Multinational Forces Iraq . This meant that he was not only responsible for the prison in Abu Ghuraib , but also Camp Cropper and Camp Bucca .

Military career

Miller graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in history followed by a master's degree in Education Administration from the University of Southern California .

Miller signed up for the US Army in 1972 and was trained as an artillery officer. Before he was transferred to South Korea after 1980 , he served in Germany. There he served as the assistant chief of staff for operations in Korea. After returning to the United States , he served as assistant chief of staff for human resources and facilities.

Guantánamo

In November 2002 Miller took command of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo at the naval base in Guantánamo Bay , Cuba . This command was responsible for the operation of the internment camps Camp X-Ray , Camp Delta and Camp Echo . Under his command, interrogation methods were tightened and discipline increased throughout the camp. Miller later said that two-thirds of the 600 detainees admitted to having something to do with terrorism and also to provide " actionable intelligence " . However, it is believed that under Miller's command, methods such as threatened beatings, sleep deprivation, solitary confinement, intimidating use of dogs, and other ill-treatment were used.

On September 22, 2003, Miller ordered the arrest of Captain James Yee , who was serving as a chaplain for the Muslim prisoners in Guantánamo. Miller accused him of stealing secret documents and smuggling them out of prison. These allegations were later dropped. It is uncertain whether evidence of espionage has been found, but the file on the James Yee case is under lock and key.

Abu Ghraib

In August 2003, Miller was transferred to Iraq by the US Department of Defense to get more information from the Iraqi prisoners. In September Miller wrote a report recommending the "guantanamization" ( GTMO-ising ) of interrogation methods by amalgamating detention and interrogation staff in Abu Ghuraib Prison . Miller also recommended that guards should be used to "prepare" prisoners for interrogation ( soften up ).

In his final report on allegations of torture, Major General Antonio Taguba blamed Miller's recommendations for the abuses at Abu Ghraib and found that the use of military police personnel for interrogation was in breach of official guidelines. Miller denied having specifically ordered guards to humiliate and torture prisoners in order to obtain confessions.

After the Abu Ghuraib scandal became known six months later, in March 2004, Brigadier General Janis Karpinski , who had been in command of the 800th US Military Police Brigade and thus also Abu Ghuraib , was suspended and Miller was transferred the command as deputy commanding general for prisoner operations of the coalition forces in Iraq . In this position, Miller was directly under Lieutenant General Ricardo S. Sánchez , who commanded the coalition forces until July 2004. Since his official appointment, Miller has promised to reduce the number of prisoners in Abu Ghuraib and to comply with military law and the Geneva Conventions . He also promised to investigate suspected abuse and to reform the Iraqi prison system. By this point, he had already banned the use of hoods while transporting prisoners and had established a new system that allowed prisoners to receive visitors.

In November 2004 Miller was replaced by Major General William H. Brandenburg from the post of Deputy Commanding General for Prisoner Operations of the Multinational Forces Iraq .

Investigation against Miller

Miller reportedly recommended dog abuse.
AbuGhraibDogs01.jpg

Since the investigation into the torture allegations, it has been suggested that Miller encouraged ill-treatment. In an interview with BBC radio, the former prison director Janis Karpinski said that Miller had told her to the prisoners "like dogs" ( like dogs ) deal, because "if she could feel them only once, that they are more than dogs , then they lose control "( if you allow them to believe at any point that they are more than a dog then you've lost control of them ). However, Miller denies he ever made this comparison. Colonel Thomas Pappas , commander of the military intelligence brigade in Abu Ghraib, said it was Miller's idea to use dogs to intimidate the prisoners. He said the same tactics were used at Camp X-Ray in Cuba. Various photos on Abu Ghraib show dogs near screaming, naked prisoners.

At times Miller made use of his right not to incriminate himself. According to the New York Times , he stepped down from this position after the Armed Services Committee postponed his retirement until he became more accommodating.

In July 2005, inconsistencies were found in Miller's testimony to the Armed Services Committee in May 2004 and his oath three months later. Miller testified before the Senate in May that he had only written a report on a visit to Abu Ghraib and had not spoken to the then US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld or his closest staff. However, in a statement three months later, Miller said that he had had a briefing on his visit and recommendations for Abu Ghraib with two of Rumsfeld's associates - Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and Secretary of State for Intelligence Steve Cambone .

In May 2006, at a military court hearing of the dog handlers in Abu Ghraib, Miller testified that his instructions regarding the dogs had been misunderstood. He further testified that he had instructed "the dogs only to be used for supervisory and guard duties" ( only for custody and control of detainees ). Just one day later, Miller's testimony was refuted by Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Phillabaum , commander of the Abu Ghuraib military police unit.

Miller retired on July 31, 2006. On his retirement, Miller was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and he was recognized as an innovator .

swell

  1. ↑ Official biography of William H. Brandenburg ( Memento of the original from September 1, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.usarpac.army.mil
  2. ↑ Iraq abuse 'ordered from the top' ( BBC June 15, 2004; English)
  3. ↑ General Is Said To Have Urged Use of Dogs ( Washington Post, May 24, 2004)
  4. ↑ Court in Abuse Case Hears Testimony of General ( The New York Times, May 24, 2006)
  5. ^ New York Times: He changed his position when the US Senate Armed Services Committee delayed his retirement until he was more forthcoming.
  6. ↑ Not so fast, General ( Salon.com, March 7, 2006; English)
  7. ↑ Gaps and Discrepancies ( Newsweek May 24, 2004)
  8. ↑ Testimony at SoCal man's court-martial centers on use of dogs ( Memento from May 27, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) ( San Jose Mercury from May 27, 2006; English)
  9. ↑ General Who Ran Guantanamo Bay Retires ( Washington Post , Aug. 1, 2006)
  10. ↑ Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller retires after 34 years ( Memento of the original from March 10, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. ( Army News Service Aug. 1, 2006)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www4.army.mil

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personal data
SURNAME Miller, Geoffrey D.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American major general in the US Army
DATE OF BIRTH 1949
PLACE OF BIRTH Gallipolis , Ohio