The Guardian and BBC Arabic are reporting that the U.S. helped fund and organize a network of torture centers that fueled Iraq’s sectarian violence.

Iraqi Gen. Muntadher al-Samari, who reportedly worked with U.S. operatives, described some of the methods used in these torture centers to The Guardian: “Each one was made up of an intelligence officer and eight interrogators. This committee will use all means of torture to make the detainee confess like using electricity or hanging him upside down, pulling out their nails, and beating them on sensitive parts.”

These centers have been linked to the highest levels of U.S. military command at the time. According to the reporting, now retired Gen. David Petraeus and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld each had a man on the scene and the two agents worked in concert with each other to organize some of the most violent Shia militias to join their grotesque cause.

— Posted by Peter Z. Scheer.

Wait, before you go…

If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface.  We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.

Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.

Support Truthdig