Comments on: We Promise You Won’t Feel The Pain

By: skdadl

skdadl — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:06:18 +0000

Thanks very much for this. Like you, I remember that hearing as riveting; it was very carefully built. (People can find it in the C-SPAN archives.) Along with all the other sources we have, this report will be most valuable.

By: Jkat

Jkat — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:12:37 +0000

the chronology on the SERE folks going to gitmo has been out since at least may ..and possibly as early as march of 2007 …

here ..

By: Kilo

Kilo — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:52:42 +0000

Here’s what I believe is a new piece of information: Instructors from … (SERE) … visited Guantanamo to train interrogators how to torture detainees:

That wasn’t in Mayer’s Dark Side ?
I don’t remember it specifically, but the SERE reversal was very thoroughly covered.

By: Jkat

Jkat — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:45:49 +0000

oh i am very sane .. it’s the assholes who think we should let this pass who are outta their minds ..

By: questioneverything

questioneverything — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:49:18 +0000

Prosecution of any of these criminals is apparently off the table. Change is in the eye of the beholder. Trials for violating treaties and conventions and US law are just too much trouble these days. We will be tortured for the rest of our days if these maniacs aren’t convicted. Find yourself a nice quiet corner of the world and try to stay sane.

By: Jkat

Jkat — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:08:39 +0000

i went through the a version of of pre-SERE .. called E&E survival .. in the mid-60’s .. to a man .. if those of us who went through it could have found our “instructors” on the streets .. we would have whupped their asses ..

torturing people isn’t nice .. it’s not compatible with our national psyche ..and we ought to prosecute those who enabled and encouraged it..

simple facts ..all ..

By: whitewidow

whitewidow — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:27:00 +0000

Thanks for this important observation. Clearly Rumsfeld’s authorization and the ”reverse SERE” training took place before the ridiculous OLC memos ”legalizing” torture after the fact.

Even if (and this is a big if, in most sane legal analysis) the false argument that officials can’t break laws because of the OLC ”Golden Shield” is accepted, these actions were prior.

I sincerely hope that Obama has the stomach to bring the torturers and authorizers of torture to justice. And I hope Reyes is going to get a stiff rebuke for suggesting that torture continue under Obama.

You are no doubt aware, but Valtin of dailykos and Invictus fame has done an excellent job of covering this, in particular the reverse SERE/behavioral scientist angle. S/he highlighted, long before most reporting, that the idea to reverse SERE started very early, and that it must have been approved by someone.

Thanks for slogging through the report. I have to take it in small doses because it is so disturbing. You’re still the hardest working reporter in show biz.