Enhanced Interrogation Techniques - A Rose By Any Other Name

by Barbara McPherson | August 27, 2009 at 08:40 am

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Guantanamo Prison Camp is in the news again today with talk revolving aroung "enhanced interrogation techniques". Enhanced interrogation techniques are a bafflgab to deflect the harsh reality of torture. The overseers at the black prison at Guantanamo Bay listed in a banal one to ten listing the enhanced techniqes that could be used to pry information from their captives. Some of the techniqes were borrowed straight from history.

Even when detainees were "waterboarded" — in one case more than 180 times in a single month, using precisely the same techniques as Pol Pot's infamous Khmer Rouge and the Japanese interrogators who were hanged by the U.S. for war crimes after the Second World War — it wasn't considered torture.

Even when some detainees were killed, it wasn't considered torture.

To cite but one example of the reasoning in the memos: "Although the waterboard constitutes a threat of imminent death, prolonged mental harm must nonetheless result to violate the statutory prohibition of infliction of severe mental pain or suffering."

Words are used to cover up the extent and horror of what was going on at Guantanamo Prison Camp. Because the Prison Camp was offshore, administrators were free to flout the basic human rights afforded to anyone by a civilized society. Yes, the times were upsetting and innocent people in the US were killed in a horrible way. It's time like this that the moral fabric of a society is tested. Civilized societies behave in a civilized manner to people and situations that we deplore as well as people and situations that we like.

controlled drownings, beatings, the collaring and slamming of imprisoned men into walls, sleep deprivation for up to eleven days at a time, sustained nude exposure to cold, and confinement in cramped boxes, to name six of the 10 approved techniques.

Enhanced interrogation techniques -- at what point do they stop? Do we use them on people that we "know" is a serial killer? Do we use them on people who we suspect are anarchists within the state? Do we use them on people to prevent criminal action? Where does the enhanced interrogation techniques find a boundary.
Torture is not a way to gain reliable information. It makes the enemy more implacable while giving up the moral high ground. Yesterday another child soldier Mohammed Jawad, was flown back to Afghanistan after the presiding judge threw the case out. Mohammed Jawad was a teenager at the time of his capture. US authorities subjected the captive to a bone scan(radiation) to try to confirm his age at the time. They said 17, his family said 12

US Department of Justice spokesman Dean Boyd said he could not confirm that Jawad was sent home, though a federal judge ordered him released in July. The judge concluded the Government's case against him was an "outrage" and "full of holes".

Jawad had been charged with attempted murder before the special military tribunals at Guantanamo, accused of throwing a grenade into a Jeep carrying the two US Special Forces soldiers and their interpreter in Kabul in December 2002.

Guantanmo Prison Camp needs to be closed down, the people responsible for allowing the torture as well as those who administered it must be brought to light. The American People have to stop ignoring the crimes against humanity that are committed in their name. We know what we thought of those citizens of a European country who said they weren't aware of the prison camps in their country during WWII.

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Amy Judd

at 12:28 on August 27th, 2009

Good piece Barbara.

eastvanray

at 13:17 on August 27th, 2009

I want our governments to fight terrorism. I have no pitty for terrorists as they clearly have none for us. These techniques are not being used on civilian arrestees, they are being used on the hardest of hard core terorists. If these techniques are to be discontinued then with what do we replace them? If we agree to fight this war "fairly" while our opponents have all options available to use against us then they will surely not be defeated. Any suggestions from the bleeding hearts out there what we do? Maybe some talk therapy or a big hug?

Mudassar Nassar (not verified)

at 13:43 on August 27th, 2009

Maybe music therapy migh help. How about some euro- trash music..oops..! 'muzic' ?

Grace H

at 15:13 on August 27th, 2009

Yet most of the people there are only suspected terrorists. They have neither been charged with a crime or seen trial. The prison is in Cuba because they cannot act like that in the states. Why not? if we can charge everyone else with war crimes shouldn't we hold ourselves accountable as well. Why don't you get some one skilled in the art of oration and a judge. Theres a start.

eastvanray

at 15:41 on August 27th, 2009

No one has been charged with "war crimes". They are terrorists. I assume the charge would be terrorism.

Grace H

at 15:59 on August 27th, 2009

You misunderstand. First, they are not terrorists as they have not been proven so by the correct of law. I believe such a complaint was listed against King George in the Declaration of Independence. Second, if any other country was doing what mine is doing we would have charged them with war crimes. Case in point, Nazi Germany and most every other country we have been to war with.

Roy C

at 13:58 on August 27th, 2009

What technique that was used by the Japanese for which they were hanged was used in Guantanamo?

Torture did give us reliable information. That information was used to stop other attacks.

J2B (not verified)

at 14:22 on August 27th, 2009

If you think America can use torture, then you must also think other countries could use torture on captured American troops?

eastvanray

at 14:26 on August 27th, 2009

They do when they're not beheading them or blowing them up.

Grace H

at 16:01 on August 27th, 2009

Yes but does that make it acceptable? What is an abomination for one group to commit is an abomination for all groups to commit.

Grace H

at 15:57 on August 27th, 2009

If not the Japanese, we have surely learned from the Vietnamese. My teacher has told us about his experiences in the war. I felt sick upon hearing them.

rng

at 14:05 on August 27th, 2009

Torture did give us reliable information. That information was used to stop other attacks.

That is highly questionable - from the data available there is little to no evidence to support that conclusion.

Roy C

at 14:21 on August 27th, 2009

No, that is not true. And water-boarding is not the technique that got the Japanese hanged after WWII. They pumped the stomach full of water, a life-threatening condition, whereas water-boarding works because it simulates, but does not cause, drowning.

That is also why they had to use it so many times on that captured Al Qada leader. It is not all that bad. All the people who use the technique have it done to them before learning to use it.

rng

at 14:42 on August 27th, 2009

On this you are incorrect. 100%

Give me one example of an attack stopped by the tactics at Guatanamo. Even Cheney has had to drop that line based on the recent memos released.

However, go and read the reports from the Jihadist sites about how they are thankful the US used torture as it proved a valuable recruiting tool for them

It was a mistake, and there is absolutely no credible evidence it stopped any attack or produced any viable evidence.

Waterboarding - not all that bad. That's priceless...I can see the bumper stickers now!

Grace H

at 15:08 on August 27th, 2009

They did not have to do anything they chose to condescend to the tactics of those we call inhumane. They abused their power in the name of justice. They like everyone else should face the consequences of their actions. The arguments of whats best for the nation and following orders were found as invalid excuses starting with the Nuremberg war crimes trials and solidified by the adolf eichmann model.

Grace H

at 15:15 on August 27th, 2009

As it psychologically simulates drowning it is even more despicable. Anyone who has been tortured if f****** for life. Such policies do not become of any civilized nation.

Grace H

at 16:03 on August 27th, 2009

As you have the audacity to say waterboarding "is not all that bad" have you ever experienced it repetitiously by interigators who must get a confession of some crime to validate their inhumanity? So you must agree with the Inquisition, Stalin, and every other dictator or oligarchy who has undertaken such methods.

eastvanray

at 14:16 on August 27th, 2009

If using these techniques gives us ANY usable info compared to not using them, I say use the techniques.

Grace H

at 15:10 on August 27th, 2009

Should a prosecuter then use that teqnique on you if you are charged with a crime but have the right to plead the fifth as American law dictates. The Army may not have to follow the Constitution but the CIA and whoever else was down there does.

eastvanray

at 16:02 on August 27th, 2009

If I am charged as a terrorist? YES.

Grace H

at 16:22 on August 27th, 2009

You cannot use qualifiers when dealing with the law. Not in America. "No cruel an unusual punishment." " nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law" It is in the Constitution. As the supreme law of the land any contradiction to it is illegal and thrown out.

And no you don't. You say that out of ignorance and bravado in face of the true horrors. If you ever experienced such monstrocities or knew anyone who did you would not be so quick to defend them.

a211423

at 15:05 on August 27th, 2009

When you have zealots who are willing to send brainwashed young men and women to their death in suicide bombings, why would we presume that torture no matter how cruel, inhumane or horrendous would serve as a deterent. Evolving societies should be setting the precedence for humanitarianism, tolerance and compassion.

a211423

at 15:58 on August 27th, 2009

My comments were in response to the treatment of prisoners and exploitation by terrorist organizations, not to be construed with the policies of war and intervention that have divided America.

I am not going to defend the American occupation of any country where, like you say, thousands have been killed mostly civilians. The U.S. is evolving as long as people continue to question and challenge the decisions of our government when we believe they are wrong.