The War On Terror. America’s History of Torture in War (Part 5).
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 2 (2000s)
The War On Terror. America’s History of Torture in War (Part 5).
“About 30 activists marched in front of the White House Tuesday, protesting the Guantanamo Bay detention facility’s continued existence, despite President Obama’s promises to close the prison. Shortly after his inauguration, the president signed an executive order to close the facility within a year. (Rebecca Nelson / Medill)” by Medill DC under CC BY 2.0
The War on Terror, which began in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, was marked by the use of torture, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques by the United States government. The use of these methods was justified by the government as necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists. However, the use of torture violates both international and U.S. domestic law, and has been widely criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and many Americans.
The graphic published in The Week on January 8, 2015, showed that torture was a global problem, not just limited to the United States. However, the U.S. government's use of torture, particularly waterboarding, gained widespread attention after Sean Hannity, a conservative commentator, offered to undergo the technique to demonstrate its supposed harmlessness. An action that he has not followed through with as of March 2018.
In "Why America will torture again," published in The Week on January 10, 2015, Scott Horton argues that the use of torture is deeply ingrained in American history and culture. He suggests that the use of torture will continue because of the belief that it is necessary to protect national security, and because the U.S. government has not been held accountable for past abuses.
In "The terrifying philosophy behind Guantanamo torture," published in The Conversation on January 26, 2015, Alex Danchev argues that the use of torture at the Guantanamo Bay detention center was not simply a result of rogue agents or a breakdown in protocol, but rather a deliberate policy supported at the highest levels of government. This philosophy, he suggests, is rooted in the belief that the United States is engaged in a "war of civilizations" against radical Islam.
The CIA Torture Report, released in December 2014, provided a detailed account of the use of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques by the U.S. government. CNN's "CIA Torture Report Fast Facts," published on January 29, 2015, summarizes some of the key findings of the report, including the fact that the CIA's techniques were more brutal than previously known, and that they did not produce actionable intelligence.
In "Obama & Counterterror: The Ignored Record," published in Human Rights Watch on February 5, 2015, Andrea Prasow argues that President Obama, despite his promises to end torture and close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, has failed to take sufficient action to address these issues. She notes that many individuals continue to be held without charge or trial, and that the U.S. government has not held any senior officials accountable for authorizing or overseeing torture.
In "The Dark Science of Interrogation," published in Bloomberg on February 12, 2015, Mark Bowden explores the psychology behind interrogation techniques and argues that torture is not only morally reprehensible but also ineffective. He suggests that skilled interrogators can elicit valuable information through rapport-building and other non-coercive techniques.
“Two protesters of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay look solemnly toward the Obama White House. (Rebecca Nelson/Medill News Service)” by Medill DC under CC BY 2.0
The Guardian's February 18, 2015 article, "Guantánamo torturer led brutal Chicago regime of shackling and confession," highlights the case of Richard Zuley, a former Chicago police detective who went on to oversee interrogations at Guantanamo Bay. Zuley has been accused of using abusive and coercive tactics to extract false confessions from suspects in both Chicago and Guantanamo.
In "How to Extract a Confession...Ethically," published in Scientific American on May 1, 2015, Scott O. Lilienfeld and Hal Arkowitz argue that traditional interrogation techniques, such as the Reid technique, are often based on faulty assumptions about human behavior and can lead to false confessions. They suggest that a more evidence-based approach is needed to ensure that confessions are accurate and reliable.
In addition to the use of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques, there has been widespread criticism of the conditions at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, where many detainees have been held without charge or trial for years. The detention center has been a source of controversy since it was opened in 2002, with human rights organizations and legal experts condemning the indefinite detention and mistreatment of detainees. Despite promises by former President Obama to close the facility, it remained open throughout his presidency and continues to operate today.
The use of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror raises serious questions about the ethics of such practices and the effectiveness of obtaining intelligence through these methods. While some argue that such methods are necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists, others argue that they are not only unethical but also counterproductive, as they can lead to false confessions and unreliable information. Additionally, the use of such methods can damage the reputation of the United States and undermine its moral authority on the world stage.
In conclusion, the use of torture, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror has been a highly controversial issue that has raised serious questions about the ethics and effectiveness of such practices. While some argue that these methods are necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists, others argue that they are not only unethical but also counterproductive. The ongoing debate over the use of these methods highlights the need for a serious examination of the role of torture in modern warfare and the need for a reevaluation of the United States' policies on detainee treatment and interrogation.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on March 28, 2023
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Putin Is A War Criminal
Russia Is A Terrorist State:
Part 1 (1990s)
Part 2 (2000s)
Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
Part 5 (2020 - 2021)
Part 6: (2022+)
Sources for The War On Terror. America’s History of Torture in War (Part 5):
This graphic shows that torture is a global problem - The Week January 8, 2015
Waterboarding Sean Hannity - The Week January 8, 2015
Why America will torture again - The Week January 10, 2015
The terrifying philosophy behind Guantanamo torture - The Conversation January 26, 2015
CIA Torture Report Fast Facts - CNN January 29, 2015
Obama & Counterterror: The Ignored Record - Human Rights Watch February 5, 2015
THE DARK SCIENCE OF INTERROGATION - Bloomberg February 12, 2015
How to Extract a Confession...Ethically - SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN May 1, 2015
Mark Udall: The U.S. “Treated People in Inhumane, Terrible Ways” - PBS Frontline May 19, 2015
How George W. Bush and Dick Cheney brought torture to America | Opinion - The Week May 19, 2015
How the CIA tortured its detainees - The Guardian May 20, 2015
Exclusive: Detainee alleges CIA sexual abuse, torture beyond Senate findings - Reuters June 2, 2015
Guantánamo Bay detention camp | United States detention facility, Cuba - Britannica July 3, 2015
waterboarding | torture method - Britannica July 7, 2015
Donald Trump: "Waterboarding doesn't sound very severe" - Vox August 2, 2015
Ex-CIA boss admits to BBC Panorama that it tortured - BBC News August 3, 2015
Dick Cheney defends America's use of torture, again, in new book - The Guardian September 1, 2015
OUT OF THE DARKNESS - ACLU October 13, 2015
Donald Trump: Bring back waterboarding - CBS News November 23, 2015