From Human Rights Watch

[plutherus]

Article published in the Washington Post" Time to Stop "Stress and Duress"

I remember a while back, and the FBI asked Congress for official permission to use "Stress and Duress" techniques. At the time, many people, such as myself, and organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, recognized these as code words for "Torture" and raised hue and cry. Congress was bombarded by letters urging them not to pass any legislation making it legal. They responded by quietly stopping all mention of it.

However, from time to time over the last few years a news article still came out citing the use of such techniques in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay. If you read back through blogs, you'll find many of us denouncing these techniques long before the pictures from Abu Ghraib surfaced.

Why were all these reports either scoffed at, ignored, or justified the Powers That Be in the past, and now these same people are expressing outrage and disgust that such things are happening?

Is it the sexual content? Is torture OK, until it becomes sexually suggestive? Bush has gone on record as saying that "Stress and Duress" is a good and necessary tool. But now, suddenly, it's a sin. That attitude repulses and disgusts me even more.

Comments

[rhonan.livejournal.com]

Well duh! This is Amerika. Torture and violence are OK as long as there's no sexual content. Sex, now that's the real evil that must be fought. Have you noticed that with all the problems in this country, Asscroft is gearing the (in)Justice Department up for a major offensive against porn, and not corporate theft?

[thevirtualjim.livejournal.com]

I think its more about public image for our gov't. The only reason they are all upset about it is that the general public found out it happens.

Public?

[plutherus.livejournal.com]

But didn't the general public already know it's happening? I mean I knew. I first heard about it on an AM talk radio show. And have seen many references in newspapers since then. I don't spend a lot of time on "alternative" news sites (other than lj, of course :), so I don't think I really know about much that goes on that the rest of the general public hasn't at least heard about...