Washington – Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller, a central figure in the debate over the treatment of detainees in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, retired from the Army this week amid ongoing congressional concern about his role in policies that allegedly led to abuse by U.S. service members.
Miller chose to retire without seeking promotion and a third star, in large part because his legacy has been tarnished by allegations of abuse at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison and the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, according to military officials and congressional sources.
Miller had hoped to retire in February, but his departure was delayed because members of the Senate Armed Services Committee wanted to question him while he was still in uniform about his role in implementing harsh interrogation techniques at the two prisons.
Miller was allowed to retire only after he assured members of the Senate panel in writing that he would make himself available to testify if called.
Congressional sources from both political parties said Monday that they were not satisfied with several investigations into Miller’s actions at Guantanamo and are still skeptical of his truthfulness in Senate testimony after the Abu Ghraib abuse surfaced in spring 2004.
A senior Pentagon official said Monday that Miller is a “casualty of the Abu Ghraib abuse,” comparing him to Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, who also was not promoted because senior leaders feared that a public confirmation hearing would go badly in light of the allegations.
Military commanders twice have cleared Miller of wrongdoing – once after investigators suggested he be reprimanded for failing to properly oversee the interrogation of a high-value detainee at Guantanamo Bay who was abused, and once after the Army’s inspector general determined he had testified truthfully to the Senate.
Gen. Richard A. Cody, Army vice chief of staff, said Monday that Miller has had “a very, very distinguished career” and is regarded within the military as an effective leader. Cody said he has reviewed the reports and that the investigation was handled appropriately. Cody presented Miller with the Distinguished Service Medal, a top honor, at a retirement ceremony Monday.
While he was the top officer at Guantanamo Bay in 2002 and 2003, Miller implemented and oversaw a number of harsh interrogation tactics that included the use of dogs to frighten Arab detainees, and stripping captives and shackling them in stress positions. Such tactics later were used in Iraq, shortly after Miller and a team of experts visited in 2003 to help obtain more information during interrogations.
