Consequence

Starred review from May 2, 2016
In this harrowing memoir, Fair, an interrogator at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, expands on his 2007 Washington Post editorial, in which he countered the claim that detainee abuse was a rare, isolated phenomenon. Fair, U.S. Army veteran trained as an Arab linguist, yearned to rejoin the armed forces after the 9/11 terrorist attacks but was derailed by a severe heart condition. Fortunately, private contractors were not as picky, so with no physical exam he was hired at $120,000 per year and sent to Abu Ghraib. Fair details the way he conducted interrogations, emphasizing that he followed accepted procedures approved by superiors. Official guidelines do not mention torture but interrogators, mostly untrained, were urged to "get things done." Fair observed prisoners being left naked in freezing rooms, beaten, and tied in excruciating positions. He committed some of the same acts, but his conscience began to gnaw at him. Some colleagues tortured enthusiastically; others shared his discomfort. Fair began having nightmares and drinking heavily. He came home, but his drinking, nightmares, and erratic behavior worsened. His heart failed, requiring a transplant, but he gradually pulled himself together through the help of his wife and his faith. Fair is a gifted writer, and his capacity for self-examination makes this work both deeply insightful and moving.

Starred review from July 4, 2016
In this fierce memoir, Fair recounts his career in the Army and the police force, as well as his experiences working as an interrogator for a private contractor in Iraq in 2004. There he participated in “enhanced interrogation” techniques in Fallujah and Abu Ghraib, and he was present during the torture, beatings, and sleep deprivation of Iraqi prisoners. He committed some of these same acts, but his conscience began to gnaw at him. Some colleagues tortured enthusiastically; others shared his discomfort. Fair is unflinching in his narration and his prose: his voice is strong, forthright, and sometimes full of rage. It is clear that he harbors deep regret about what he did in Iraq, but the emotion that comes through most clearly throughout the vocal performance is anger. He is angry with CACI (the private contractor that hired him) for its incompetence and the glib lies it told new recruits. He is angry with God, whose presence was often invoked in war but almost never experienced. And most of all, he is furious with himself, not only for participating in torture but for not quitting when he had the chance. Those listening to this stirring performance will likely have more compassion for Fair than he seems to extend to himself. A Holt hardcover.