Comments on: CIA Torture Began In Afghanistan 8 Months Before DoJ Approval

By: The Bush Administration and Human Experimentation at Guantánamo Bay « Craig Considine

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:27:36 +0000

[...] to Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, Colin Powell’s Chief of Staff), it was actually being used to extract false confessions about connections between al-Qaeda and Saddam Hussein that could be used in an attempt to justify [...]

By: Abu Zubaydah’s Torture Diary « freedetainees.org

Abu Zubaydah’s Torture Diary « freedetainees.org — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:36:42 +0000

[...] Director Philip Zelikow Condemns Bush Torture Program, Who Authorized The Torture of Abu Zubaydah?, CIA Torture Began In Afghanistan 8 Months before DoJ Approval, Even In Cheney’s Bleak World, The Al-Qaeda-Iraq Torture Story Is A New Low (all April 2009), Ibn [...]

By: UK Judges Compare Binyam Mohamed’s Torture To That Of Abu Zubaydah by Andy Worthington « Dandelion Salad

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:40:58 +0000

[...] they have reminded us that torture was, in fact, taking place long before it was supposedly authorized, with disturbing ramifications for those who ordered its [...]

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Fri, 08 May 2009 21:40:04 +0000

For more discussion of some of the points raised in this article, see Comments 5, 6, 14 and 15 here:
http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2009/05/07/obamas-first-100-days-mixed-messages-on-torture/

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:00:05 +0000

In my reply to Brian, I wrote:

You’re probably right about including a bit of the back story, but I’m already aware that most of my articles are considered lengthy enough in this era of attention deficit disorder!

Thoughts welcome on this: I try to write what needs to be said, which often comes out at around 2,500 words, even though, on the infinite web, many sites want their opinion pieces to be between 600 and 1,000 words.

I think that’s OK for a pithy round-up, but totally inadequate for establishing a proper, detailed story.

As I say, however: thoughts welcome!

By: Andy Worthington

Andy Worthington — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:54:53 +0000

A reader called Brian wrote to say,

thank you for quoting from article 2 of the UN Convention Against Torture;
I’ve yet to read a reference to it even on sites that ought to know better;

please keep citing it and maybe – tho I hae me doots – some people might pay attention.

I’ve submitted a letter to the editor at NYT that consists just of article 2; we both know it`ll never be published!

the only point I`d make about your article is that a line or two – even that – about the v long history of torture by the CIA and US gov in general would provide some historical context.
true, this history has been a matter of public record but quote Pinter: it didn’t happen even when it was happening

By: Frances Madeson

Frances Madeson — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:34:51 +0000

The only other time I heard of torturing clothes was in the Leonard Cohen song, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong. And as for the soundtrack to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I am aghast. Though it’s meagre consolation we can, however, be “proud” of one thing–our torturers are creative types who think outside the box.