6.07.2007

Training a Torturer

You train a torturer by torturing them. So when the military bosses decided they wanted to toughen up soldiers against rough interrogation techniques, they implemented the SERE program, which put our soldiers through some rough interrogation. Then, most of the limits put in place to prevent torture and abuse were removed.

Add to that the Presidential rhetoric about "the gloves are coming off" and other handy phrases, and what do you have except implicit permission to abuse prisoners? With unaccountable CIA contractors telling soldiers to "soften up" their Iraqi prisoners, what do you think you are going to get? No structure is in place to stop that pressure.

For these and other reasons, this Administration needs to be held accountable for its deliberate lapses in management and policy.

6 comments:

Jandi for The Fuzz said...

Some things are just wrong.

Anonymous said...

Until you have the experience of attending SV-83 yourself (SERE school, to you), you should not speak of it as if you know what you're talking about. SERE school teaches aircrew and individuals that can may detained what to expect while detained, not "how to interrogate". Military SERE instructors aren't recruited by the government to "abuse", as you say. Alas, it seems you speak alot about things of which you have no experience or knowledge. Hope dogwalking works out well for you - maybe the dogs will listen.

Econo-Girl said...

Anon - You really need to read more carefully. I did not say that SERE taught anyone "how to interrogate." I did say that the techniques used in SERE helped set the stage for detainee abuses by our military later on. That was my point. Certainly I am not alone in making that point, either.

And dog walking is working out very well. I consider picking up dog dirt a considerable step up.

Unknown said...

sv-83 is not sere. I have been to 4 survival schools including water, jungle, sere, and sv83. If you have been to sv83 you know that any talk outside the name is a federal crime.

Anonymous said...

I have had "Pleasure" of attending Many types of survival courses, including SERE, JEST, and SV-83. To talk openly about such courses is not permitted and is a OPSEC violation. One must have not only a Security Clearance but a Need to Know.

Anonymous said...

econo girl you either you have not a clue what your are talking about... (what you describe is out of a book) or you are a fuck head
I have been to both schools and if something I got out of them was to be more patriotic... I'm pretty sure that anyone who really attend SV80 and SV83 (you cannot go to 83 before first attend to 80, and that is a fact) the skill they taught me, really got me ahead in life and show me to read between the lines.
I had been deployed numerous times yes I have not seen the abuse you say happen at the hands of sere trainees. I know the abuse do happen, but is a very small percentile of troops and investigations show that none were a SERE sv83 trainee!!!