It is, in some circles, called "No-Touch Torture." Yet it brings
pain and damage that can last a lifetime. Psychological torture
techniques - which have a history of use by U.S. forces globally
trailing far into the past beyond Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib -
include a variety of methods from mock executions, severe
humiliation, and mind-altering drugs, to forced self-induced pain,
sensory disorientation including loud music and light control, and
exploitation of personal or cultural phobias. It is no accident,
for example, that Private Lynndie England was seen in Abu Ghraib
pictures, which shocked the world, with Arab prisoners forced naked
into a pile or led like dogs by leash. Arabs have strong spiritual
beliefs about the humiliation of public nudity, and also have a
strong cultural fear of dogs. These techniques are neither
surprising nor particular to England if one has fair knowledge of
the U.S. history of sanctioned psychological torture techniques,
say the experts behind this book. Having reached a joint crescendo
of intolerance and horror, scholars from across the nation met in
2006 for a conference on psychological torture and what can be done
to stop the practice. They agree with Alberto Mora, the U.S. Navy's
general counsel, who fought to stop the Pentagon-sanctioned
psychological torture at Guantanamo. "Cruelty disfigures our
national character. Where cruelty exists, law does not," Mora said.
This book is the joint effort of those scholars, from the
University of California Center for the Study of Human Rights in
the Americas, to Harvard Medical School, to paint a clear picture
of psychological torture, its longterm affects, and spur action to
stop the practice. "The distinctlyAmerican form of psychological
torture" has four characteristics that make it attractive to the
CIA and other supporters, say the authors. It is elusive - lacks
the clear signs of physical abuse so eludes detection and
complicates investigation, prosecution, or attempts at prohibition.
It is shrouded - in scientific patina that makes it appeal to
policy makers and avoids the obvious physical brutality unpalatable
to the general public. It is adaptable - as shown by searing
innovations by the CIA across 40 years. And it is destructive - can
cause psychosis and other psychological disorders or, in more
severe cases, death. While, in public, U.S. officials spotlight and
support legislation that has banned physical torture, far more
clandestine political, military, and CIA activities are refining
and increasing the use of psychological torture. This book includes
a brief history of sanctioned psychological experiments and actions
to torture, as well as CIA research outsourced to leading U.S.
universities that produced what the authors call "key findings that
led to the first real revolution in the cruel science of pain in
centuries." Historical information here includes a summary of a
decade of mind-control research by the CIA that in 1963 resulted in
the KUBARK Counterintelligence Interrogation manual. This volume
represents a striking collaboration of distinguished psychologists,
psychiatrists, neurobiologists, lawyers, historians, and a
semanticist. The book closes with case studies of the psychological
torture of Mohammed al-Qahtani, the alleged 20th hijacker in the
9/11 attacks, and of Salim Hamdan, the alleged driver of Osama bin
Laden. This work will be absorbing to any readerinterested in human
rights, covert politics now and across history, military science,
psychology, or psychiatry.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
(4)
