Mark Kraft of Insomnia had the "Post of the Day" yesterday. After noting the memo by Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez that was released yesterday by the ACLU, in which Sanchez authorized "29 interrogation techniques, including 12 which far exceeded limits established by the Army’s own Field Manual," Kraft realized that Sanchez has most likely perjured himself during the Senate hearing on Iraq prison abuse.

Senator Jack Reed sounded suspicious at the time. From the testimony [emphasis added]—

REED: Thank you.

General Sanchez, today's USA Today, sir, reported that you ordered or approved the use of sleep deprivation, intimidation by guard dogs, excessive noise and inducing fear as an interrogation method for a prisoner in Abu Ghraib prison.

REED: Is that correct?

SANCHEZ: Sir, that may be correct that it's in a news article, but I never approved any of those measures to be used within CJTF-7 [Coalition Joint Task Force] at any time in the last year.

REED: Excuse me. Because I want to get back to this.

It may be correct that you ordered those methods used against a prisoner. Is that your answer?

SANCHEZ: No, sir, that's not what I said. I said it may be correct...

REED: Well, I didn't hear; that's why I want...

SANCHEZ: ... that it's printed in an article, but I have never approved the use of any of those methods within CJTF-7 in the 12.5 months that I've been in Iraq.

REED: What level of command produced this slide?

SANCHEZ: Sir, my understanding is that that was produced at the company commander level.

REED: How could the company commander evolve such a specific list? How could the company commander then turn around and said some of these things would require your permission without any interaction between your command? It seems to me just difficult to understand.

SANCHEZ: Sir, it's difficult for me to understand it. You have to ask the commander.

REED: Now, this is the company commander that you relieved and gave him a letter of admonition.

SANCHEZ: No, sir.

REED: No. OK.

Mark also notes that "Rumsfeld had previously approved the interrogation methods for Guantanamo, which the methods in Sanchez' memo were based upon."

Related post
The smell of fear (3/25/05)