This is an American Torture Story
By Noam Chomsky
April 29, 2015 "Information
Clearing House" - Majid Khan was at the mercy of CIA
interrogators for 1,200 days -- at least. During that time, he was stripped. He
was forced into ice water baths. He was "hung up" for a day in a sleep
deprivation position. He was denied solid food for seven days.
After about a year, Majid Khan went on hunger strike to protest the treatment he
was receiving. The CIA responded with "involuntary rectal feeding and rectal
hydration." Majid's lunch tray, consisting of hummus, pasta with sauce, nuts,
and raisins, was "pureed" and "rectally infused." This happened repeatedly.
Eventually, Majid Khan attempted to cut his wrists.
I'm interested in the power of words. Terms like "enhanced interrogation" or
"rectal feeding" are clever disguises for the true term we should be using to
describe the CIA's treatment of Majid and more than 100 others: Torture.
The CIA can try to bury the truth of these atrocities, but it's up to us to hold
the agency responsible.
Tell U.S. authorities that no one should get away with torture.
From 2002 to 2008, the U.S. government disappeared more than 100 men and
subjected dozens of them to torture using some of the same "interrogation
methods" they used against Majid Khan.
Despite the release of a report recently issued by a Senate committee, which
provides evidence of these horrific crimes, the U.S. Justice Department refuses
to act.
In fact, the department apparently refuses to even read the report - keeping it
in a sealed envelope, unopened.
But the truth is undeniable, and no amount of wordplay can disguise it.
Tell the U.S. Department of Justice that it must read and respond
to the Senate's report on torture.
Torture is a crime and no one should get away with it. It's up to us to enforce
that. Join us in telling this American torture story and use the power of your
voice to speak out for justice.
Sincerely,
Professor Noam Chomsky