The War On Terror. America’s Use of Torture in War (Part 3).
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 2 (2000s)
The War On Terror. America’s Use of Torture in War (Part 3).
“"It's not torture when U.S. forces are doing it..."Torture using waterboarding” by Carlos Latuff
The War on Terror, initiated by the United States after the September 11 attacks, saw the use of controversial methods of interrogation such as torture, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques. These methods of interrogation were used on detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center and other secret CIA detention centers around the world. This led to a heated debate about the ethics of torture and whether such techniques were justified in the fight against terrorism.
One of the methods used at Guantanamo was the use of loud music to disorient detainees. An article by SPIEGEL International in January 2010 reported that music was used as a form of psychological torture. Detainees were subjected to songs played on repeat at high volumes for hours on end. Music was also used as a tool to soften up detainees before interrogation sessions. The article highlighted how the use of music as a form of torture was a violation of international law and human rights.
Waterboarding, a method of torture that simulates drowning, was also used on detainees at Guantanamo and other CIA detention centers. In February 2010, ABC News reported that a former soldier, Joshua Tabor, had been accused of waterboarding his own daughter as a form of punishment. This case highlighted the severity of waterboarding as a form of torture and the need to end its use in all settings.
In February 2010, The Atlantic published an article comparing the use of waterboarding in the War on Terror to its use in the Spanish Inquisition. The article argued that the use of waterboarding as a form of interrogation was a violation of international law and human rights. The article also raised concerns about the efficacy of waterboarding as a method of obtaining reliable information.
“Photo from a protest against waterboarding, on the occasion of Condoleezza Rice's visit to Iceland, by Campaign Against Military Bases. Condoleezza Rice was invited to the protest to try waterboarding for herself but as she didn't show up, some volunteers tried it out for themselves” by Karl Gunnarsson under CC BY-SA 2.0
In March 2010, salon.com published an article entitled "Waterboarding for dummies" that provided a step-by-step guide on how to perform waterboarding. The article sparked outrage and led to calls for an end to the practice of waterboarding.
In the same month, NPR reported that former White House advisor Karl Rove had defended the use of waterboarding, stating that it was not torture and that he was proud of the techniques used on terrorists. This statement reignited the debate about the use of torture in the War on Terror and raised questions about the morality and legality of such techniques.
In November 2010, Reuters reported that former US President George W. Bush had strongly defended the use of waterboarding in his book. Bush argued that the use of waterboarding had saved lives and prevented terrorist attacks. His comments were met with criticism from international law experts who argued that his admissions were damaging to efforts to prevent torture worldwide.
In the same month, CNN reported that Bush had told an audience in Michigan that he had authorized the use of waterboarding and that he would do it again. He argued that waterboarding had saved London from terrorist attacks.
Also in November 2010, UPI reported that the British government had declared that waterboarding was a form of torture. The statement was made in response to Bush's comments about the use of waterboarding in preventing terrorist attacks.
In April 2011, an article published in NIH PubMed examined the psychological impediments to an objective evaluation of enhanced interrogation tactics. The article argued that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques such as waterboarding could lead to false confessions and that the information obtained through such techniques was often unreliable.
In the same month, The Guardian published an article about the Guantanamo Bay detention center files. The article reported that the US military had insisted that torture had produced results and had been effective in obtaining information from detainees.
Also in April 2011, an article published in NIH PubMed examined the role of medical professionals in torture at Guantanamo Bay. The article argued that medical professionals had been complicit in the use of torture and that they had a duty to speak out against such methods of intelligence procurement.
The use of torture, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror remains a highly controversial and divisive issue. While some argue that these methods are necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists, others believe that they are inhumane and constitute a violation of human rights.
One of the most infamous cases of torture during the War on Terror is the use of waterboarding. Waterboarding involves immobilizing a suspect on a board and pouring water over their face to simulate drowning. This technique was used by the CIA to extract information from high-level al-Qaeda operatives, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. Proponents of waterboarding argue that it is a highly effective interrogation technique that can produce actionable intelligence, while opponents argue that it is a form of torture that violates international law.
““Detainees in orange jumpsuits sit in a holding area under the watchful eyes of Military Police at Camp X-Ray at Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during in-processing to the temporary detention facility on Jan. 11, 2002. The detainees will be given a basic physical exam by a doctor, to include a chest x-ray and blood samples drawn to assess their health. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st class Shane T. McCoy, U.S. Navy”” under public domain by Shane T. McCoy, U.S. Navy.
In 2010, ABC News reported that Joshua Tabor, a former soldier who served in Iraq, was accused of waterboarding his daughter as a form of punishment. Tabor claimed that he was using the technique to discipline his daughter and did not realize that it was illegal. This case highlighted the potential dangers of using waterboarding and other forms of torture as a disciplinary tool.
The use of music as a form of torture at Guantanamo Bay was also reported in 2010 by SPIEGEL International. Detainees were subjected to loud music and white noise for extended periods, causing psychological distress and making sleep impossible. This technique was used to break the detainees' will and force them to provide information. While this technique does not involve physical harm, it is still considered a form of torture and a violation of human rights.
In 2011, a study published in the journal Psychiatric Times examined the psychological impediments to an objective evaluation of enhanced interrogation tactics. The study found that the use of these techniques can cause severe psychological harm to both the interrogator and the detainee. It also argued that the use of torture is not effective in producing reliable intelligence and can actually lead to false confessions.
In the same year, The Guardian published an article about the Guantanamo Bay files, which revealed that the US military insisted that torture was effective in producing results. The files contained evidence that detainees were subjected to various forms of torture, including waterboarding and sleep deprivation. The US military claimed that these techniques were necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists.
However, in 2012, The Independent reported that waterboarding and enhanced interrogation techniques were shown to be ineffective. The article cited a study published in the journal Public Library of Science that found that torture and other forms of harsh interrogation methods were not effective in producing reliable intelligence. The study argued that the use of these techniques is more likely to lead to false confessions and misinformation.
The debate over the effectiveness of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques was reignited after the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011. Some argued that the information that led to his location and eventual death was obtained through enhanced interrogation techniques, while others claimed that it was obtained through surveillance and other methods. Wired reported that it was in fact surveillance, not waterboarding, that led to the successful operation.
In 2013, The Atlantic published an article arguing that the existence of Guantanamo Bay actually helps Al-Qaeda recruit more terrorists. The article argued that the use of torture and other forms of inhumane treatment at the detention center has damaged the US's reputation and provided a powerful recruitment tool for Al-Qaeda and other extremist groups.
In conclusion, the use of torture, waterboarding, and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror remains a highly controversial issue. While some argue that these methods are necessary to extract information from suspected terrorists, others believe that they are inhumane and constitute a violation of human rights. Despite the ongoing debates and controversies, the use of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror has undoubtedly left a significant impact on the global perception of the United States' values and human rights record. The practice of torture remains illegal under both domestic and international law, and its use has damaged the country's reputation as a defender of human rights and the rule of law. Moreover, the efficacy of torture in extracting reliable intelligence remains widely disputed, with many experts arguing that it is ineffective and counterproductive. Ultimately, the legacy of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques during the War on Terror will continue to be a subject of moral, legal, and political debates, and the consequences of their use will be felt for years to come.
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 Use of Torture in War (Part 3):
Using Music as a Weapon at Guantanamo - SPIEGEL International January 15, 2010
Joshua Tabor, Who Served in Iraq, Accused of Waterboarding Daughter - ABC News February 8, 2010
Waterboarding And The Inquisition - The Atlantic February 11, 2010
Defender of Waterboarding Hears From Critics - The New York Times February 26, 2010
Waterboarding for dummies - salon March 9, 2010
Rove: Waterboarding Isn't Torture; Is Proud Of Techniques Used On Terrorists - NPR March 12, 2010
In book, Bush strongly defends use of waterboarding - Reuters November 4, 2010
Bush on waterboarding: 'Damn right' - CNN November 5, 2010
George W. Bush: waterboarding saved London from attacks - The Times November 8, 2010
Britain says waterboarding is torture - UPI November 9, 2010
Bush's Waterboarding Admissions Damage International Law Experts Say - VOA News November 11, 2010
Guantánamo Bay files: Torture gets results, US military insists - The Guardian April 25, 2011
Surveillance, Not Waterboarding, Led to bin Laden - WIRED May 3, 2011
Bush aide: KSM counted seconds during waterboarding - POLITICO May 16, 2011
Getting Away with Torture - Human Rights Watch July 12, 2011
Torture - New York Magazine August 27, 2011
Cheney: We waterboarded U.S. soldiers, so it’s not torture - Foreign Policy September 9, 2011
Former Guantanamo inmates tell of confessions under ‘torture’ - CNN October 28, 2011
'Waterboarding is torture,' says Obama - The Christian Science Monitor November 14, 2011
On waterboarding: Let’s stick to the facts | Opinion - The Washington Post November 15, 2011
GUANTÁNAMO: AN ORAL HISTORY - VANITY FAIR January 11, 2012
French judge seeks access to Guantanamo amid torture probe - France 24 January 18, 2012
When Denzel Washington Was Waterboarded - VULTURE February 8, 2012
Waterboarding and 'enhanced interrogation' shown to be ineffective - Independent April 27, 2012
'Vomiting and screaming' in destroyed waterboarding tapes - BBC News May 9, 2012
Sesame Street Songs Prove To Be Worse Than Waterboarding On Afghan Prisoners - INSIDER May 30, 2012
Report: Guantanamo Bay detainees pick 'Fresh Prince' over Harry Potter - NBC News August 9, 2012
Rights Watch: Evidence of wider U.S. waterboarding - CTV News | AP News September 6, 2012
Guantanamo: A legacy of shame - Al Jazeera November 12, 2012
Does Zero Dark Thirty Advocate Torture? - SLATE December 11, 2012
'Zero Dark Thirty,' the CIA and 'enhanced interrogation techniques' - NBC News January 11, 2013
The Case for Torture - SLATE January 30, 2013
The Hidden History of Waterboarding - Mother Jones February 25, 2013
How Guantanamo Bay's Existence Helps Al-Qaeda Recruit More Terrorists - The Atlantic April 12, 2013
Terror, torture and truth - The Washington Post April 17, 2013
Still the guy who taught America to torture - The Economist April 26, 2013
WATCH: Condoleezza Rice Defends Torture Program and Confirms Bush's Role in It - ACLU April 26, 2013
Guantánamo Prisoner's Memoirs Offer Rare First-Person Account of Torture - ACLU April 30, 2013
James Comey: Two Thumbs-Up on Waterboarding? - ACLU June 19, 2013
Lawyers want CIA prison details - DW October 26, 2013
Two terror suspects sue Poland over 'CIA torture' - BBC News December 3, 2013