First Major Figure In Iraq Theater To Call For Accountability For War Crimes: Retired General Ricardo Sanchez Calls For Truth Commission At Culture Project's New Series Launch

    NEW YORK, NY, June 05, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On May 31st, Culture Project presented an event at The Times Center that convened Rachel Maddow, General Ricardo Sanchez, Vince Warren and Ron Suskind to launch its "Blueprint for Accountability" series. Here, panelists explored solutions to challenges facing our country.

General Sanchez, the former top coalition commander in Iraq, called for a Truth Commission so we might fully understand the failure of the military and civilian command to honor the pledge of our constitution.

Sanchez, the first General to go on record to call for a Truth Commission, stressed that the outcome must embrace a variety of solutions, including prosecution.

Sanchez stated, "When the president made the declaration that the Geneva Conventions no longer apply, we unleashed the hounds of hell and eliminated all the foundations for the training, ethics and structure we had built into our soldiers and leaders for how to conduct these kinds of operations."

Sanchez stated problems could be traced to loyalties to individuals and political parties.

Vince Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights, pressed for criminal prosecutions as the only way to provide an effective response to abuses and prevent future abuse.

Other participants included Liev Schreiber, John Leguizamo, Noah Emmerich and Julianna Margulies.

Video content from the event is available upon request from Culture Project.

Culture Project is NYC's premier destination for artistic work that champions the most pressing human rights issues of our time. Showered with media praise and honors, including NY Times' #1 Play of the Year, Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award, and a Drama Desk Award among others. Culture Project, who presented The Exonerated, Sarah Jones' Bridge & Tunnel, and Guantanamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom, provides a creative home to dynamic artists who share its passion for taking risks and creating work that amplifies marginalized voices. By fostering innovative collaboration between human rights organizations and the arts, they aim to inspire and impact public dialogue and policy, encouraging democratic participation in the most urgent matters of our time.

Source: Culture Project
Website: http://www.cultureproject.org

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