Philadelphia Inquirer: CIA reveals rules on harsh tactics

Step-by-step guidelines on 9/11 interrogations.

Posted on Wed, Aug. 26, 2009

WASHINGTON - As the session begins, the detainee stands naked, except for a hood covering his head. Guards shackle his arms and legs, then slip a small collar around his neck.

The collar will be used later; according to CIA guidelines for interrogations, it will serve as a handle for slamming the detainee's head against a wall.

After removing the hood, the interrogator opens with a slap across the face - to get the detainee's attention - followed by other slaps, the guidelines state. Next comes the head-slamming, or "walling," which can be tried once "to make a point," or repeated again and again.

"Twenty or thirty times consecutively" is permissible, the guidelines note, "if the interrogator requires a more significant response to a question." And if that fails, there are far harsher techniques to be tried.

Five years after the CIA's secret detention program came to light, much is known about the spy agency's decision to use harsh techniques, including waterboarding, to pry information from suspected al-Qaeda leaders. Now, with the release Monday of guidelines for interrogating high-value detainees, the agency has provided - in its own words - the first detailed description of the step-by-step procedures used to systematically crush a detainee's will to resist by eliciting stress, exhaustion, and fear.

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America tortures, sure hard to wrap my mind around that one.

Truth is, it's _never_ okay.

Mornin', madokie. :hi:

It just blows me away what has happened on this front. I think as I look back that maybe this behavior began under the pseudo Reagan mal administration but it could have been earlier. I know that back when I was stationed at the Warner Springs Ca. SERE training camp, '68 - '69, a couple of the high level visitors we had there were H. R. Haldeman and John Ehrlichman of nixon fame. Back through the years I've often wondered why the interest by these two and now I'm beginning to believe maybe it was training on their part. Have I mentioned how much I detest the :puke:s lately, well I do. :hi:

I understand there will be things that go on behind closed doors that I would not want to hear about but for so many to actually be for such action is absolutely astounding and sickening for me.. America used to be a better country but Republicans have turned it into something much less, much more coarse and vulgar and pathetic.

to varying degrees, torture is an attack against us all and we all are made less

and that is something that is hard to forgive...much less forget

that article was painful for me to read. And you're right: tortue is an attack against us; further, this was done in our names with our tax dollars.

:hug:

they have a government that approves it. The reason the government approves it is because they have citizens that do not hold their government accountable.