The History of CIA Interrogation

Democracy Now! - From the Cold War to the War on Terror

Interview with mister Alfred McCoy, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Author of “A Question of Torture: CIA Interrogation, From the Cold War to the War on Terror” and also “The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade.”


We now take a look at what lies behind the shocking images of torture at Abu Ghraib by turning to the history of the CIA and torture techniques. The International Committee of the Red Cross, Amnesty International and other human rights groups say the recently released images of abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib show a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The U.S. made a pledge against torture when Congress ratified the UN Convention Against Torture in 1994 - but it was ratified with reservations that exempted the CIA’s psychological torture method. So what were the results?

A new expose gives an account of the CIA’s secret efforts to develop new forms of torture spanning fifty years. It reveals how the CIA perfected its methods, distributing them across the world from Vietnam to Iran to Central America, uncovering the roots of the Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo torture scandals.

AMY GOODMAN: And glad to have you with us, especially in light of your history. I first learned of you with your first book The Politics of Heroin: C.I.A. Complicity in the Global Drug Trade, for which you almost died. What happened then?

ALFRED McCOY: Oh, when I was researching that book in the mountains of Laos, hiking from village to village, interviewing Laotian farmers about their opium harvest, and they were telling me that they took it down to the local helicopter pad where Air America helicopters would land, Air America being a subsidiary of the C.I.A., and officers, tribal officers in the C.I.A.’s secret army would buy the opium and fly it off to the C.I.A.’s secret compound, where it would be transformed into heroin and ultimately wound up in South Vietnam. And while I was doing that research, hiking from village to village, interviewing farmers, we were ambushed by a group of C.I.A. mercenaries. Fortunately, I had five militiamen from the village with me, and we shot our way out of there, but they came quite close. Then later on, a C.I.A. operative threatened to murder my interpreter unless I stopped doing that research. And then when...

READ MORE in full transcript of the entire Interview

I suggest you read the Entire Interview - it is very Mind Opening, because Mister McCoy is taking a Lookat what lies behind the shocking images of torture at Abu Ghraib prison by turning to the history of the CIA and torture techniques.

Professor Alfred McCoy talks about his book A Question of Torture, a startling expose of the CIA development of psychological torture from the Cold War to Abu Ghraib. During his Research, the CIA mercenaries attempted to Assassinate Professor McCoy more than 30 years ago.

I guess they had a Good Reason...

Well, is it a big surprise that (proven!) CIA tactics are being used to control prisoners? I find that logical. Too bad the CIA forgot to mention to not document the evidence, as this may become a security issue.

Good find, thank you.

The CIA only uses con-coercive methods of interrogation such as sense deprivations, sleep deprivation, and solitary confinement. In other words, they aren't allowed to torture victims or humiliate them as many other countries do.

Contrary to popular belief, America is very humane to their prisoners. They give them three square meals a day, and spend thousands of dollars to port them to American prisons, while Iraqi soldiers simply drag their prisoners out into a field and mow them down with pistols and rifles for target practice. You can't just take one example of America being corrupt and completely ignore everything else that we have done, not to mention ignoring other countries in their time of war. As president Theodore Roosevelt once said during the Nuremburg Trials, "Yet no matter how imperfect the trials might have been, they did establish an important principle- the idea that individuals are responsible for their own actions, even in times of war."

During WWII, America fought Japan in the pacific and despite close to a million deaths, we won. After the victory, did America bully around Japan or take away their military rights? No, instead American General Douglas MacArthur (the same man who fought the Japanese and watched his men get killed by them) completely reshaped Japan's economy. We raised their economy and brought them back on their feet in only seven years. MacArthur also provided for woman suffrage and guaranteed many of the same freedoms in America for Japan. America also loaned millions of dollars to reform and rebuild Japan, a country who initated war with us by bombing Pearl Harbor. We even drafted a constitution for them which was very similar to the American constitution. To this day, their constitution is still named "The MacArthur Constitution" in memory of America's kindness in times of war.

[edit on 2/20/2006 by TheB1ueSoldier]

[edit on 2/20/2006 by TheB1ueSoldier]

Originally posted by TheB1ueSoldier
The CIA only uses con-coercive methods of interrogation such as sense deprivations, sleep deprivation, and solitary confinement. In other words, they aren't allowed to torture victims or humiliate them as many other countries do.

So what Dan Mitrione was doing in Uruguay was con-coercive was it?

Don't kid yourself, The U.S.A. taught every other country in the world the fine art of torture.

"The precise pain, in the precise place, in the precise amount, for the desired effect"

- Dan Mitrione

Check out the movie Secrets of the CIA, available on Google Video.

Yes, Dan Mitrione did do those horrible things, but America executed punishment to him for torturing his victims meaning that we don't tolerate torture. America is a strict follower, if not the most strict follower of the Geneva Convention.

Originally posted by TheBlueSoldier
Yes, Dan Mitrione did do those horrible things, but America executed punishment to him for torturing his victims meaning that we don't tolerate torture. America is a strict follower, if not the most strict follower of the Geneva Convention.

I thought it was the Tupamaro's who exacted punishment on Mitrione? At least they didn't torture him.

For a government that doesn't tolerate torture Ron Zeigler certainly had some nice things to say about him.

"Mr. Mitrione's devoted service to the cause of peaceful progress in an orderly world will remain as an example for free men everywhere." - Ron Zeigler, White House spokesman.

Whilst in many cases the CIA may not have been pullling the teeth or attaching the electrodes, they certainly did encourage friendly governments in third world countries to use torture.

Have provided host countries the names of people to round up and torture.

Have supplied the equipment to use in torture.

Have conducted classes in torture.

Have written and disseminated torture manuals.

Have been present when acts of torture have taken place, to observe and evaluate how well their pupils have been doing.

Abu Ghraib is just the latest exposure of torture by the Agency. This is not some aberration.

The Geneva Convention also embodies an expectation of adherence to the rule of International Law. America, among other countries, consistently breaches this principle by incarcerating people without charge in spite of attempts to invoke writs of Habeas Corpus - Fundamental to Western Law and blatantly disregarded in Guantanamo Bay.



[edit on 25-2-2006 by Beelzebubba]