Today's Article
A new executive order
requires America to
blindly trust that Bush
will treat suspects with
an ounce of respect
for law and common
sense.
requires America to
blindly trust that Bush
will treat suspects with
an ounce of respect
for law and common
sense.
The American Spark
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Has George Bush Secretly Revived CIA Torture Program?
By Cliff Montgomery - July 25th, 2007
George W. Bush quietly resurrected the CIA's controversial interrogation program of suspected terrorists on
Friday via executive order. The order will again allow harsh treatment of suspects, with only a vaguely worded
prohibition serving to ensure that "cruel and unusual punishment" will not again be used by American
interrogators to trash the U.S. Constitution, international law, Natural Law, and the Geneva Conventions.
The order does specifically bar such practices as rape or sexual abuse; this apparently is an effort to lessen
international outrage over some of the CIA's most questionable activities. But perhaps tellingly, the executive
order is silent on exactly what practices CIA interrogators may perform during its "interrogations".
The order is the Bush Administration's first public effort to revamp the Agency's five-year-old suspect detention
program, which was placed on hold after a Supreme Court ruling last year proclaimed the program illegal.
Officials would not discuss with reporters any specific interrogation techniques which the Agency may employ
under Bush's new order. Its previous methods are thought to have included disorientation and sleep
deprivation, exposing prisoners to extreme cold or heat for prolonged periods, unnaturally stressful positions
and--most disgustingly--the fascist-tinged simulated drowning exercise known as waterboarding.
The Bush Administration pretends that its torture operation is an incredibly successful tool in its "war on terror"
--but it claims the same thing of its invasion of Iraq. The matter is not what career politicians and well-paid spin
doctors want us to believe, but instead what is actually true. And here, this administration is on much shakier
ground.
As a de-classified August 25th, 2006 evaluation written by the Pentagon's office of the Inspector General
makes clear, torture is a weakness, not a strength:
"According to [U.S. Army Field Manual 34-52 (FM 34-52), entitled “Intelligence Interrogation”], prohibited
techniques are not needed to gain the cooperation of detainees; [in fact] their use leads to unreliable
information that may damage subsequent collection efforts. Not only does a detainee under duress provide
information simply to stop the pain, but future interrogations will require more coercive, perhaps more
dangerous, techniques."
Bush's executive order only ensures that CIA suspects "receive the basic necessities of life, including
adequate food and water, shelter from the elements, necessary clothing, protection from extremes of heat and
cold, and essential medical care."
A top intelligence official would not discuss with the Associated Press (AP) whether waterboarding is an
allowed action by CIA interrogators under Bush's new order, or under similar legal documents created by the
Justice Department.
A second top administration official did admit to AP that sleep is not one of the basic necessities proclaimed in
Bush's executive order.
But we have no idea what the Injustice Department is doing in our name. Its documents remain classified,
apparently to protect Americans from running our country as we see fit.
Both officials spoke to AP under condition of anonymity.
Human rights groups were having none of the Bush Administration's loopholes and false reasoning, however.
Tom Malinowski, Human Rights Watch Washington director, told AP that the vague veneer of law found in the
executive order was incidental. The issue can be resolved only in maintaining proper oversight of the still-
classified procedural file on interrogation given to CIA officers.
Malinowski therefore points out that the executive order requires America to blindly trust that the Bush
Administration will treat suspects with an ounce of respect for law and common sense. And that's a tall order.
"Given the experience of the last few years, they have to be naive if they think that is going to reassure too
many people," said Malinowski.
The five-page order claimed a respect for protections recognized under both American and international law. It
added that confinement or interrogation conditions cannot include:
Bush's order forbids suspects from contacting either family members or the International Committee of the
Red Cross.
The Supreme Court last year ruled that the Bush Administration must adhere to the Geneva Conventions like
every other group in the civilized world. This destroyed the very basis for the CIA's interrogation program.
Last fall, Congress called on Bush to publish an executive order that would fulfill his part of the Military
Commissions Act. The bill banned acts of rape, torture and various other war crimes which clearly violate the
Geneva Conventions.
It's thought that 97 terror suspects have so far been detained by the CIA at secret locations around the globe,
which many have taken to calling "black sites."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
By Cliff Montgomery - July 25th, 2007
George W. Bush quietly resurrected the CIA's controversial interrogation program of suspected terrorists on
Friday via executive order. The order will again allow harsh treatment of suspects, with only a vaguely worded
prohibition serving to ensure that "cruel and unusual punishment" will not again be used by American
interrogators to trash the U.S. Constitution, international law, Natural Law, and the Geneva Conventions.
The order does specifically bar such practices as rape or sexual abuse; this apparently is an effort to lessen
international outrage over some of the CIA's most questionable activities. But perhaps tellingly, the executive
order is silent on exactly what practices CIA interrogators may perform during its "interrogations".
The order is the Bush Administration's first public effort to revamp the Agency's five-year-old suspect detention
program, which was placed on hold after a Supreme Court ruling last year proclaimed the program illegal.
Officials would not discuss with reporters any specific interrogation techniques which the Agency may employ
under Bush's new order. Its previous methods are thought to have included disorientation and sleep
deprivation, exposing prisoners to extreme cold or heat for prolonged periods, unnaturally stressful positions
and--most disgustingly--the fascist-tinged simulated drowning exercise known as waterboarding.
The Bush Administration pretends that its torture operation is an incredibly successful tool in its "war on terror"
--but it claims the same thing of its invasion of Iraq. The matter is not what career politicians and well-paid spin
doctors want us to believe, but instead what is actually true. And here, this administration is on much shakier
ground.
As a de-classified August 25th, 2006 evaluation written by the Pentagon's office of the Inspector General
makes clear, torture is a weakness, not a strength:
"According to [U.S. Army Field Manual 34-52 (FM 34-52), entitled “Intelligence Interrogation”], prohibited
techniques are not needed to gain the cooperation of detainees; [in fact] their use leads to unreliable
information that may damage subsequent collection efforts. Not only does a detainee under duress provide
information simply to stop the pain, but future interrogations will require more coercive, perhaps more
dangerous, techniques."
Bush's executive order only ensures that CIA suspects "receive the basic necessities of life, including
adequate food and water, shelter from the elements, necessary clothing, protection from extremes of heat and
cold, and essential medical care."
A top intelligence official would not discuss with the Associated Press (AP) whether waterboarding is an
allowed action by CIA interrogators under Bush's new order, or under similar legal documents created by the
Justice Department.
A second top administration official did admit to AP that sleep is not one of the basic necessities proclaimed in
Bush's executive order.
But we have no idea what the Injustice Department is doing in our name. Its documents remain classified,
apparently to protect Americans from running our country as we see fit.
Both officials spoke to AP under condition of anonymity.
Human rights groups were having none of the Bush Administration's loopholes and false reasoning, however.
Tom Malinowski, Human Rights Watch Washington director, told AP that the vague veneer of law found in the
executive order was incidental. The issue can be resolved only in maintaining proper oversight of the still-
classified procedural file on interrogation given to CIA officers.
Malinowski therefore points out that the executive order requires America to blindly trust that the Bush
Administration will treat suspects with an ounce of respect for law and common sense. And that's a tall order.
"Given the experience of the last few years, they have to be naive if they think that is going to reassure too
many people," said Malinowski.
The five-page order claimed a respect for protections recognized under both American and international law. It
added that confinement or interrogation conditions cannot include:
- Torture or other violent acts comparable to murder, mutilation, torture or inhuman treatment in their
cruelty;
- Acts of personal abuse clearly done to degrade a suspect in a manner so heinous that any sane person
would "deem the acts to be beyond the bounds of human decency." This includes sexual degradation.
- Acts meant to belittle a suspect's religion.
Bush's order forbids suspects from contacting either family members or the International Committee of the
Red Cross.
The Supreme Court last year ruled that the Bush Administration must adhere to the Geneva Conventions like
every other group in the civilized world. This destroyed the very basis for the CIA's interrogation program.
Last fall, Congress called on Bush to publish an executive order that would fulfill his part of the Military
Commissions Act. The bill banned acts of rape, torture and various other war crimes which clearly violate the
Geneva Conventions.
It's thought that 97 terror suspects have so far been detained by the CIA at secret locations around the globe,
which many have taken to calling "black sites."
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark e-
newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!