First of all, let’s be clear, whether or not the torture of detainees got results or not is NOT relevant. Poison gas works to give enemy combatants. Nuking every country where Muslim extremists exist would largely eliminate the threat they pose to the United States. Yet clearly, neither of these is ethical or moral. The same goes for torture.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s look at another horrifying fact about the torture of detainees after 9/11. They were recommended, designed by, and apparently carried out by a for profit consulting company. As if torturing people isn’t bad enough, we actually had a contract with an outside consultant for these “services” and that company was paid over $80M.

One subject under this for profit contract was subjected to 266 hours of being locked into a pitch dark coffin and then spend 29 hours in a “much smaller box.” He was waterboarded 83 times and placed in stress positions. Another subject was waterboarded 183 times.

This sounds more like somebodies sick sense of revenge than an actual attempt to get information. Another method that was approved for use but later revoked was the use of insects to terrify detainees.

Many argue that releasing these reports endangers Americans. No! Performing these horrific acts endangered Americans! That’s like holding a jury responsible for sentencing a guilty prisoner. It was the crime that is the problem, NOT the reporting of the crime.

This is a shameful period in American history. The perpetrators should be held accountable and should be charged with war crimes. We tried Japanese for war crimes after WWII for performing these types of atrocities. The biggest difference between then and now is that many Americans appear to have lost their moral compass.

http://www.latimes.com/world/afghanistan-pakistan/la-fg-torture-psychologists-20141214-story.html#page=1