More Health Care Professionals Involved In Design, Structuring of Torture Than in Providing Care...

Today on Dem. Now!
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/28/1353248

More Health Care Professionals Involved In Design, Structuring of Torture Than in Providing Care For Survivors


"In today's world there are more health care professionals involved in the design and structuring of torture than there are involved in providing care for survivors," said Douglas Johnson, executive director of the Center for Victims of Torture in Minneapolis. We also speak with professor Steven Miles, author of "Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity, and the War on Terror." As we broadcast from Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minnesota, we turn now to the issue of torture. Minneapolis is the home of the Center for Victims of Torture of Torture - an organization that works to heal the wounds of torture on individuals, their families and their communities and to stop torture worldwide.

Today, we are joined by the center's executive director Douglas Johnson. Doctor Steven Miles is also with us. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a faculty member of its Center for Bioethics. He is the author of the book "Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity, and the War on Terror."

But before we turn to our guests, we play an excerpt from Wednesday's Democratic debate at Dartmouth College. It aired on MSNBC and was moderated by Tim Russert.

* Excerpt of Democratic debate on issue of torture.
* Dr. Steven Miles, author of "Oath Betrayed: Torture, Medical Complicity, and the War on Terror." He is a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School and a faculty member of its Center for Bioethics. He is also a practicing physician.
* Douglas Johnson, executive director of the Center for Victims of Torture and the past president of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs.

I mean, I know there are many physicians and other healthcare professionals involved with the whole torture enterprise . . . but more than those providing care? . . . I don't think so . . .

if this IS true, however, than this country is way more fucked up than I already knew it was . . . and that's saying something . . .

interviews.

Many people consider a visit to the dentist to be tantamount to torture.