News organizations around the world, citing anonymous Army officials who refused to give their names, reported Thursday that President Bush approved the demotion of Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski to colonel because she failed to properly supervise guards who abused detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in the fall of 2003.
Two weeks earlier, quoting similarly anonymous Army sources, the same world-wide news organizations reported that the Army inspector general was holding only one top officer - Karpinski - accountable for the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib.
Around the world, particularly in the Arab world, the stories sent the message that finally, the United States was holding a commander responsible. Finally, someone in a position of authority would be punished. Finally there would be justice.
The trouble is, it wasn't true.
Oh, the Army inspector general singled out Karpinski for disciplinary action, all right. And yes, Bush demoted Karpinski on the basis of the Army IG's recommendation.
But it wasn't for Abu Ghraib. It was unrelated.
In fact, the Army inspector general - a summary of whose report was released Thursday - exonerated her of any wrongdoing at Abu Ghraib, right along with the rest of the generals in the chain of commend.
"Though Brig. Gen. Karpinski's performance of duty was found to be seriously lacking," the summary said, "the investigation team determined that no action or lack of action on her part contributed specifically to the abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib."
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