Search began with a stubborn detainee (Rumsfeld torture techniques appr'd)

[UpInArms]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=usatoday/searchbeganwithastubborndetainee

For almost 10 months, Mohamed al-Kahtani sat imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with U.S. interrogators unaware that he might be the much-sought-after "20th hijacker."

<huge snip>

An October 2002 memo to Maj. Gen Michael Dunlavey, the commander of the prison operation at Guantanamo Bay, from his staff said there was "no established clear policy for interrogation limits." In less than six months after that, several sets of proposed interrogation techniques would be proposed, accepted and rescinded.

On Nov. 27, 2002, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved 17 "Category Two" interrogation techniques. They included forcing prisoners to remain standing for four hours during questioning; isolation for up to a month; sound and light deprivation; hooding during interrogation; removal of clothing and "all comfort items"; 20-hour interrogations; "forced grooming," such as shaving; and stress inducement, including the use of dogs.

<snip>

Rumsfeld authorized 24 new measures in an April 16, 2003, memo. He said four methods would have to be approved by him in advance: use of rewards or removal of privileges from detainees; attacking or insulting the ego of a detainee; alternating the use of friendly and harsh interrogators; and isolation. He also said use of the techniques was limited to Guantanamo.

...more at link...

Dreadful headline writer on this one - doesn't really cover the actual content :shrug:

Hope that it get wide distribution anyway :D

[whistle]

1. Okay, it will be interesting to read who actually advocated or directed...

...the use of these tactics. Was it from Rumsfeld, that is his memo or his dictation, or from the military to Rumsfeld, or some assistant to Rummy or the commanders? Here is a summary but not the actual memo:

<snip>
Memos list tactics:

The memos to and from Rumsfeld show that though the water-boarding technique was on a list of requested aggressive tactics, Rumsfeld did not approve it, officials say.

The list of requested aggressive tactics included:

Convincing a detainee that death or severe pain could be imminent for him or his family

Exposure to cold weather or water

Use of a wet towel or dripping water to induce a perception of suffocating.

Mild, non injurious physical contact such as grabbing someone's arm, poking them in the chest or light shoving.

Only the fourth tactic -- mild, non injurious physical contact -- was approved.

<end snip>

Can it be at least shown that Rumsfeld somewhere along the way asked if he could witness any of these interrogation tactics?

[riverwalker]

2. more memos to come

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/06/13/wguan13.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/06/13/ixworld.html
"The Telegraph understands that four confidential Red Cross documents implicating senior Pentagon civilians in the Abu Ghraib scandal have been passed to an American television network, which is preparing to make them public shortly."
"There are some extremely damaging documents around, which link senior figures to the abuses," said Scott Horton, the former chairman of the New York Bar Association, who has been advising Pentagon lawyers unhappy at the administration's approach. "The biggest bombs in this case have yet to be dropped."