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SALON - The American Psychological Association, the world's largest
professional organization of psychologists, is poised to issue a formal
condemnation of a raft of notorious interrogation tactics employed by
U.S. authorities against detainees during the so-called war on terror,
from simulated drowning to sensory deprivation. The move is expected
during the APA's annual convention in San Francisco this weekend.
The APA's anti-torture resolution follows a string of revelations in
recent months of the key role played by psychologists in the development
of brutal interrogation regimes for the CIA and the military. And it
comes just weeks after news that the White House may be calling on
psychologists once again: On July 20, President Bush signed an executive
order restarting a coercive CIA interrogation program at the agency's
"black sites." Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell has
indicated that psychological techniques will be part of the revamped
program, but that the interrogations would be subject to careful medical
oversight. That oversight is likely to be performed by psychologists.
In fact, given what promises to be the continuing involvement of
psychologists in coercive interrogation, there is intense infighting
within the organization about whether simply condemning abusive tactics
is enough. Some of the APA's 148,000 members think the anti-torture
resolution put forward by APA leadership is too weak, and they are
putting intense pressure on the organization's leadership to go a step
further and ban psychologists from participating in detainee
interrogations altogether. They have introduced their own resolution
proposing a moratorium. . .
Whether or not the APA imposes a moratorium at this weekend's
convention, its Council of Representatives is likely to approve the
resolution condemning specific interrogation techniques. A draft of the
resolution obtained by Salon includes "an absolute prohibition" on
psychologists directly or indirectly participating in interrogations
that involve a list of coercive measures, including, but not limited to,
mock executions; water-boarding; sensory deprivation; "hooding"; forced
nudity; sexual humiliation; rape; cultural or religious humiliation;
exploitation of phobias or psychopathology; stress positions; dogs;
physical assault; slapping and shaking; exposure to extreme heat or
cold; induced hypothermia; psychotropic drugs or mind-altering
substances; isolation and sleep deprivation; threats of harm or death,
or threats to members of an individual's family.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/15/apa_torture/?source=whitelist
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SALON - The American Psychological Association, the world's largest
professional organization of psychologists, is poised to issue a formal
condemnation of a raft of notorious interrogation tactics employed by
U.S. authorities against detainees during the so-called war on terror,
from simulated drowning to sensory deprivation. The move is expected
during the APA's annual convention in San Francisco this weekend.
The APA's anti-torture resolution follows a string of revelations in
recent months of the key role played by psychologists in the development
of brutal interrogation regimes for the CIA and the military. And it
comes just weeks after news that the White House may be calling on
psychologists once again: On July 20, President Bush signed an executive
order restarting a coercive CIA interrogation program at the agency's
"black sites." Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell has
indicated that psychological techniques will be part of the revamped
program, but that the interrogations would be subject to careful medical
oversight. That oversight is likely to be performed by psychologists.
In fact, given what promises to be the continuing involvement of
psychologists in coercive interrogation, there is intense infighting
within the organization about whether simply condemning abusive tactics
is enough. Some of the APA's 148,000 members think the anti-torture
resolution put forward by APA leadership is too weak, and they are
putting intense pressure on the organization's leadership to go a step
further and ban psychologists from participating in detainee
interrogations altogether. They have introduced their own resolution
proposing a moratorium. . .
Whether or not the APA imposes a moratorium at this weekend's
convention, its Council of Representatives is likely to approve the
resolution condemning specific interrogation techniques. A draft of the
resolution obtained by Salon includes "an absolute prohibition" on
psychologists directly or indirectly participating in interrogations
that involve a list of coercive measures, including, but not limited to,
mock executions; water-boarding; sensory deprivation; "hooding"; forced
nudity; sexual humiliation; rape; cultural or religious humiliation;
exploitation of phobias or psychopathology; stress positions; dogs;
physical assault; slapping and shaking; exposure to extreme heat or
cold; induced hypothermia; psychotropic drugs or mind-altering
substances; isolation and sleep deprivation; threats of harm or death,
or threats to members of an individual's family.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/08/15/apa_torture/?source=whitelist
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