Confessions of a Gitmo Guard

by moonwolf | February 26, 2008 at 06:39 pm | 302 views | add comment

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A nightmare of torture and prison guard suicides was revealed to renowned psychiatrist Dr. John R. Smith in his chilling conversations with prison guards from Guantanamo who he was tasked to treat. The revelations of "Mr.H" in particular were shared by Dr. Smith during a speech to the annual meeting of The Academy of Forensic Sciences, in Washington, DC on Feb 22 of this year.

A psychiatrist who has treated former military personnel at Guantánamo prison camp is telling a story of prisoner torture and guard suicide there, recounted to him by a National Guardsman who worked at Guantánamo just after it opened.

Dr. John R. Smith, 75, is a Oklahoma City psychiatrist who has done worked at military posts during the past few years. He is also a consultant for the University of Oklahoma's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services, and is affiliated with the Veteran's Affairs Administration Hospital in Oklahoma City. The court-appointed psychiatric examination of Timothy McVeigh, who bombed the Murrah Federal Building in 1995, was conducted by Smith. A few years ago, he became a contract physician, treating active duty members of the US military in need of psychotherapy.

Smith spoke on February 22, 2008, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, held in Washington DC. His presentation dealt with the psychological impact on guards of working at Guantánamo . He focused on a chilling case history, of a patient he called "Mr. H."