Photo Essay: Abu Ghraib’s Extreme Makeover

In his first address to the joint session of Congress, President Obama said the United States does not torture. Iraq might be trying to send the same message about itself with the recent makeover it gave to the notorious Abu Ghraib prison.

The Mesopotamian Redemption: In his Feb. 24 address to Congress, U.S. President Barack Obama declared, without exception or equivocation … the United States of America does not torture. The Iraqi government might be trying to send the same message about its own country with the recent reopening of Abu Ghraib under the new name Baghdad Central Prison. Above, the refurbished dining hall on Feb. 21 looks ready for a party, decorated with tablecloths, plastic flowers, and garlands. We turned it to something like a resort, not prison, Mohammed al-Zeidi of the Iraqi Rehabilitation Department told journalists.

Photo: Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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