ACLU: troops rely on movies to learn interrogation techniques

[babylonsister]

http://www.aclu.org/International/International.cfm?ID=19088&c=36

New Documents Contradict Army Report Denying Systemic Failures in Treatment of Detainees

September 15, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [e-mail]

Troops Say They Used Techniques "Remembered From the Movies"; Deaths Could Have Been Avoided with Better Training

NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union today made public more than 1,800 pages documenting the investigation into at least three military units' detainee operations in Iraq. Among the documents were reports of untrained soldiers using interrogation techniques they "remembered from the movies," as well as reports of deaths that could have been prevented with proper training.

The documents, which appear to be interviews conducted for Army Inspector General Lt. Gen. Paul T. Mikolashek's July, 2004 report on detainee abuse, contradict the report's finding that there were no systemic failures that resulted in abuse.

"When troops rely on movies to learn interrogation techniques rather than proper training, our government has failed and the blame is on Washington, not Hollywood," said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. "Once again we have evidence of widespread abuse, but no high ranking government official or member of the military has been held accountable for the actions that occurred on their watch."

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[henslee]

1. Movies like this one?

Marathon Man. (which btw, is unfortunately, rareky on TV)

[cynatnite]

2. Watched one episode of 'Over There'

The guy had a dream he was tied and hanging in some room. The guys in masks threw acid on his feet. It was brutal stuff.