Monday, June 13, 2005

Guantanamo - Interrogation Techniques Exposed

That's it?!? That's all there is to it? Time Magazine's "exclusive" inside look at the interrogation techniques used on "Mohammed al Qahtani, who is widely believed to be the so-called 20th hijacker" reveals - not much.

One would have thought the US would have pulled out all the stops to get this guy to talk. To Time's credit, the word torture is not used once in their article. But try as they might, Time just can't get the dirt on America they want. Witness "the darker reaches of intelligence gathering".

Winter 2002-03 – Additional Techniques Approved: Despite the information gaps, the log offers a rare glimpse into the darker reaches of intelligence gathering, in which teams that specialize in extracting information by almost any means match wits and wills with men who are trained to keep quiet at almost any cost. It spans 50 days in the winter of 2002-03, from November to early January, a critical period at Gitmo, during which 16 additional interrogation techniques were approved by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for use on a select few detainees, including al-Qahtani, TIME reports.


Now we're talking! The "architect of torture", as Amnesty International calls Rumsfeld, has approved specialists, trained to extract information "by any means", the use of "16 additional interrogation techniques". Man, this ought to do it! What's it gona be, eh? I know, I know, electric shocks to the nuts! No, no, a cattle prod up the rectum! No, wait, both at the same time!!

More Muscular Strategies: Al-Qahtani’s resilience under pressure in the fall of 2002 led top officials at Gitmo to petition Washington for more muscular “counter resistance strategies.” On Dec. 2, Rumsfeld approved 16 of 19 stronger coercive methods. Now the interrogators could use stress strategies like standing for prolonged periods, isolation for as long as 30 days, removal of clothing, forced shaving of facial hair, playing on “individual phobias” (such as dogs) and “mild, non-injurious physical contact such as grabbing, poking in the chest with the finger and light pushing.” According to the log, al-Qahtani experienced several of those over the next five weeks. The techniques Rumsfeld balked at included “use of a wet towel or dripping water to induce the misperception of suffocation.” “Our Armed Forces are trained,” a Pentagon memo on the changes read, “to a standard of interrogation that reflects a tradition of restraint.” Nevertheless, the log shows that interrogators poured bottles of water on al-Qahtani’s head when he refused to drink. Interrogators called this game “Drink Water or Wear It.”


Rumsfeld you pansy!! Balking at using torture! Way to go man, you just made a liar out of Amnesty International. I hope your proud of yourself!

And what happens when this guy develops a medical condition? Why these sadistic tortures from hell have the nerve to provide top of the line medical care.

Then the lawyers get involved and "Rumsfeld’s harsher measures are revoked after military lawyers in Washington raised questions about their use and efficacy, TIME reports."

Well gooly gee, if "Rumsfeld's harsher measures are revoked", one can only imagine the horrible torture this poor fellow is going through now. Torture like having to clean his cell. If that doesn't work, he should be made to stay in his room till he shows some respect. If that still doesn't work, he should be made to write 100 times "I am a bad boy". That'll make AI and their ilk mad as hell, but it'll be worth it to get some good intelligence out of this guy.
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