Snippets on the News
So I’m in the car this morning (3 – 5 minutes to the train station), and I hear snippets on the news about somebody (possibly several “some bodies” in the form of a country) were surprised to discovery the possible existence of torture facilities in Europe… this is a surprise?
As painful as it might be to understand – my Government (I say “my” as I’m surprised that some readers dwell abroad – how do you people find me?) does train select individuals’ methods in torture and interrogation. If that’s just too difficult to comprehend (many Americans find it appalling that I would suggest such a thing), think about the training that we give to our aircrew members (pilots, navigators, air refueling folks, hell – even the person that serves the boxed lunch) that teach them how to resist interrogation (known as RT or Resistance Training). I think everyone would agree that we want our people to be prepared (as prepared as you can be in such a situation).
Aircrew members are being taught about resisting various methods of torture…. the instructor has been taught in the ways of torture and interrogation to “emulate” what might happen if the aircrew member were to go down in hostile territory. So you see – right there, that instructor has been educated (by the government) on how to torture people. Don’t look all shocked – he’s probably a very nice person with only a minimal of psychological scaring.
As somebody that may (or may not) know something about interrogation, I find it difficult to remain silent when I hear people discussing topics such as Abu Ghurayb prison. So Survival Cookies is going to lay out the good, the bad and the ever so ugly on the topic of interrogation (something in which I may or may not know anything about).
First off, there is no doubt that the troops that were left in charge of Abu Ghurayb were not properly trained nor were they (in my opinion) mentally prepared to deal with the assignment.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was some cool little guide or some sort of manual that illustrated how prisoners of war should be treated? (Rhetorical)
It’s called the Geneva Convention and although adopted in 1949, is a really cute little pamphlet that let’s people know when they have crossed the line. Most of the 143 Articles are fluff (legal babble), but within this document are some very easy to understand (even for Reservist Graner and England) sentences. For example; Article 3 (didn’t have to read to far into it) states: “the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever” and refer to “Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment”.
Now don’t get me wrong, many of these prisoners were individuals that wanted to see the end of American life and are deserving of a good ass-kicking… however, part of what they are trying to destroy (what America supposable stands for) is tolerance towards all people’s beliefs and respect towards all individuals (and I’ll quote the Geneva Convention) “without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria”. Wow…
For the record: Standing a guy on a chair with a bag on his head, taping wires to his fingers and telling him if he steps down he will be shocked… Acceptable. It disorientates and causes fatigue which will aid in the future interrogation (opps, sorry… questioning) of the prisoner (opps – detainee)
Dog piling eight prisoners upon each other naked… Unacceptable. Besides being against the Geneva Convention, it acts as an emotional bonding experience for the prisoners that can be damaging to future questioning.
Anyway – I’ve rattled on too long about this topic and I need caffination… be comforted in the knowledge that such a doctrine exists and as long as we abide by it’s wisdom, prisoners of war are protected. Of course the Nazis got it around it by calling prisoners “spies” and America is getting around it by calling them “terrorist” – but who am I to make such a comparison?
As painful as it might be to understand – my Government (I say “my” as I’m surprised that some readers dwell abroad – how do you people find me?) does train select individuals’ methods in torture and interrogation. If that’s just too difficult to comprehend (many Americans find it appalling that I would suggest such a thing), think about the training that we give to our aircrew members (pilots, navigators, air refueling folks, hell – even the person that serves the boxed lunch) that teach them how to resist interrogation (known as RT or Resistance Training). I think everyone would agree that we want our people to be prepared (as prepared as you can be in such a situation).
Aircrew members are being taught about resisting various methods of torture…. the instructor has been taught in the ways of torture and interrogation to “emulate” what might happen if the aircrew member were to go down in hostile territory. So you see – right there, that instructor has been educated (by the government) on how to torture people. Don’t look all shocked – he’s probably a very nice person with only a minimal of psychological scaring.
As somebody that may (or may not) know something about interrogation, I find it difficult to remain silent when I hear people discussing topics such as Abu Ghurayb prison. So Survival Cookies is going to lay out the good, the bad and the ever so ugly on the topic of interrogation (something in which I may or may not know anything about).
First off, there is no doubt that the troops that were left in charge of Abu Ghurayb were not properly trained nor were they (in my opinion) mentally prepared to deal with the assignment.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was some cool little guide or some sort of manual that illustrated how prisoners of war should be treated? (Rhetorical)
It’s called the Geneva Convention and although adopted in 1949, is a really cute little pamphlet that let’s people know when they have crossed the line. Most of the 143 Articles are fluff (legal babble), but within this document are some very easy to understand (even for Reservist Graner and England) sentences. For example; Article 3 (didn’t have to read to far into it) states: “the following acts are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever” and refer to “Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment”.
Now don’t get me wrong, many of these prisoners were individuals that wanted to see the end of American life and are deserving of a good ass-kicking… however, part of what they are trying to destroy (what America supposable stands for) is tolerance towards all people’s beliefs and respect towards all individuals (and I’ll quote the Geneva Convention) “without any adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion or faith, sex, birth or wealth, or any other similar criteria”. Wow…
For the record: Standing a guy on a chair with a bag on his head, taping wires to his fingers and telling him if he steps down he will be shocked… Acceptable. It disorientates and causes fatigue which will aid in the future interrogation (opps, sorry… questioning) of the prisoner (opps – detainee)
Dog piling eight prisoners upon each other naked… Unacceptable. Besides being against the Geneva Convention, it acts as an emotional bonding experience for the prisoners that can be damaging to future questioning.
Anyway – I’ve rattled on too long about this topic and I need caffination… be comforted in the knowledge that such a doctrine exists and as long as we abide by it’s wisdom, prisoners of war are protected. Of course the Nazis got it around it by calling prisoners “spies” and America is getting around it by calling them “terrorist” – but who am I to make such a comparison?
posted by Survival Cookies at 7:16 AM
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