3 of 4

Write now Article Tools

The US President justifies torture by claiming he is facing a "struggle for civilization." I say he has already lost it.

["See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda."
- George W Bush, May 24, 2005]

Almost thirty years ago I joined Britain's Royal Air Force. My induction into the military way of life included Escape and Evasion training (similar to US forces' SERE Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape). In theory, by undergoing some relatively minor hardships during training, I would be better prepared in the event I was shot down over enemy territory.

"Hardships" in this case included going hungry while trying to survive off the land for a few days, having to make a tent and sleeping bag from a parachute, sleep deprivation, avoidance of capture by "hostile" forces which all inductees failed to achieve and then simulated interrogation techniques involving a great deal of shouting by said hostiles, but no actual physical abuse.

I have no fond recollections of this mildly traumatic training and cannot claim to have endured anything like the punishment suffered by people who have experienced the real thing. However, recent media spin brought back vivid memories of a film we aspiring officers were shown to help us understand what we may have to face if we were captured by unfriendly forces...

["We do not torture."- George W Bush, November 11, 2005]

The film was a military documentary about British and American servicemen who were captured during the Korean War and contained scenes unambiguously described as "torture."

Interestingly, torture, as defined in this film, included scenes depicting techniques that are now apparently standard US practice for the treatment of detainees suspected of terrorist activities: extreme sleep deprivation, withholding of food and drink, regular hosing down with cold water, beatings, being forced to stand in stress positions, and of course, the most controversial technique - waterboarding.

Unfortunately no one will ever get to see the real life CIA videos showing patriotic US agents performing this medieval form of cruel and unusual punishment on suspected "Islamofascists." The recordings were destroyed rather fortuitously for the current US administration.

["I can tell you two things: one, that we abide by the law of the United States; we do not torture. And two, we will try to do everything we can to protect us within the law."
- George

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Commentary: George W. Bush and US torture?
We want to hear your view. Write now!