Torture, anyone?

In the middle of the recent torture/detainee debate, the Bush administration sent a bunch of right wing pundits to Guantanamo as part of a coordinated propaganda show. They took some of the most mindlessly subservient "journalists," staged a one-day show for them, gave them a script, and then sent them on their merry way, after which the little Bush propagandists began dutifully disseminating what they were told.

TRUTH High-level military attorneys have told Congress that some interrogation methods used at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] are not consistent with guidelines in the Army Field Manual [interrogation manual; additional manuals]. In a written response to questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee [official website], lawyers from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps wrote that certain tactics used to interrogate terrorism suspect Mohamed al-Qahtani [TIME report], the so-called "20th hijacker", could be considered violations of policy because they were humiliating or degrading. Interrogators forced al-Qahtani to wear women's undergarments, called him a homosexual and implied that others knew he was a homosexual, forced him to perform dog tricks, and forced him to stand naked in the presence of female soldiers. The lawyers said these methods do not follow policy.

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LIE MS: ...I'm at LaGuardia, on my way back from a very enjoyable day trip to Gitmo, down in Cuba, to have a look at the alleged, or I guess I should say, alleged enemy combatants down there.

HH: Well, the alleged enemy combatants lost their habeus corpus rights today, thanks to the steely indifference to liberty, as the Democrats would put it, of the Republican majority in the Senate. Do they appear put upon to you, Mark Steyn?

MS: No, they don't. It's interesting to me. They were being treated very lavishly, as you know, to Ramadan, and we at the meal that...when I was down there, that the detainees eat, and very proudly, we were told, as they served up this fantastic meal, that it featured homemade pastries, especially cooked for the detainees for Ramadan. So I can tell you something. They eat much better food...I've eaten MRE's with American troops in Iraq, and these detainees eat much better than American troops do. Whether that is the right approach to fighting this war, I don't know whether...I think that there are legitimate differences of opinion about that.

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TRUTH A suspect held in Guantanamo Bay was stripped, forced to bark like a dog, and subjected to music, it emerged as debate intensified in the U.S. capital over the future of the detention camp in Cuba.

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LIE While always mindful that they are dealing with dangerous men, the Americans treat them humanly, even sensitively. Seemingly every surface has a painted arrow pointing toward Mecca. Every detainee gets a Koran, and should it be necessary to search one, it is done by a Muslim translator, not a guard. Detainees are offered 4,200 calories a day. U.S. combat troops get 3,800. The average detainee has gained 18 pounds.

Interrogators rely on the soft sell. Detainees sit in a La-Z-Boy chair during interrogations, and beverages and movies are available to put them at ease. The most effective interrogator is said to be an older woman who adopts a nurturing attitude.

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MORE LIES The high-minded critics who complain about torture are wrong. We are far too soft on these guys - and, as a result, aren't getting the valuable intelligence we need to save American lives. The politically correct regulations are unbelievable. Detainees are entitled to a full eight hours sleep and can't be woken up for interrogations. They enjoy three meals and five prayers per day, without interruption. They are entitled to a minimum of two hours of outdoor recreation per day. Interrogations are limited to four hours, usually running two - and (of course) are interrupted for prayers. One interrogator actually bakes cookies for detainees, while another serves them Subway or McDonald's sandwiches. Both are available on base. (Filet o' Fish is an al Qaeda favorite.) Interrogations are not video or audio taped, perhaps to preserve detainee privacy.

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What a sick administration. They torture and make sure it's acceptable by feeding the public lies through fake news they pay for with our taxes. It doesn't get much sicker than Bush & Co. I'm must wondering when the other 1/2 of America will wake up. I can't figure out just what this administration of madmen would have to do before the hangers on become outraged.

Mark Steyn and Hugh Hewitt reveal the true impulses underlying yesterday's vote