Army interrogation tapes obtained by CNN , other soldiers complained about the Army rules for evidence gathering . Despite the high release rate , Quantock said he has confidence soldiers can take basic evidence from a crime scene in Iraq . `` We 're asking them to take basic evidence , which they 've been trained to do , '' said Quantock , who oversees detainee operations in Iraq . `` We 've got the greatest soldiers in the world . And I do n't accept that they ca n't take basic evidence off of a crime scene . '' CNN asked Quantock to explain why , if it were so easy to collect evidence , so many detainees have been released . `` It took us a while to realize , it goes back to my point of we were trying to make the fight fit the Army as opposed to have the Army fit the fight , '' Quantock said . `` I think a lot of times we thought the insurgency would dissipate , we were working closely with the government of Iraq , we were trying to improve the Iraqi security forces , but at the
Vilseck , Germany -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The military released 77,000 of about 87,000 detainees locked up during the Iraq war because there was not enough evidence to hold them , CNN has learned . `` In most cases , if we do n't have anything , eventually they 'll be released , '' said Brig. Gen. David Quantock , who oversees detainee operations in Iraq . Quantock said `` many cases are driven purely on intelligence . '' `` Intelligence does not win a fight in a courtroom . It does n't win the fight in a courtroom in the United States . It does n't win in Iraq . '' According to the U.S. military , 76,985 detainees have been released out of the 87,011 captured during the Iraq war . A CNN investigation found that frustration over the Army 's policy on detainees may have led to the 2007 killings of four Iraqi men by three decorated Army sergeants at a Baghdad canal . Former 1st Sgt. John Hatley , who led the mission that day , told CNN in a letter that the detainee policy has `` extensive flaws '' that repeatedly frustrated soldiers . On