Real Torture

More Abu Ghraid photos. "There's a new batch of photos from Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, and these are reportedly far worse than the sickening originals. Naturally, the Pentagon is trying to block their release." - Ari Berman (The Nation).

Berman concludes : "Far from endangering American national security, the release of the horrific images could provide new impetus to the stalled Congressional investigations into prisoner abuse, and the Pentagon's failure to hold any high-ranking officers accountable for Abu Ghraib. An independent counsel with subpoena power is what's needed most right now to prevent images like these in the future."

Does anyone believe the release of these photos will "prevent images like these in the future?" It may prevent troops having cameras and video. More Hype R Us media. MSM (and the blogosphere that repeats it) intentionally misses the mark on interrogation techniques and torture.

I believe this b/c I've had the following in my mail for a while now and have finally decided to post it (edited), for what its worth. It comes from someone in military interrogations and intelligence:

"What went on in Abu/Gitmo to "soften up" prisoners is what some dumbass troops do for "fun." Those are not the techniques used to "soften up" anyone. The media hype about Gitmo and Abu is a false outcry. No one is looking at anything real. A military interrogation is conducted by the book. Gitmo is not a torture palace. Everyone is looking in the wrong place. The story is not about Gitmo or Abu Ghraib. Those places are rough and an individuals may take it upon themsevles to do things they shouldn't but there is no "torture" going on.

However, other government agencies are conducting interrogations in camps not spoken of, using methods not spoken about. In these camps they are torturing people. In these camps there are true war crimes being committed. In Abu Ghraib they made men lie naked in a pyramid – that's not torture, that's uncomfortable. The torture is at these other agency camps; they are doing horrible things to people. But Gitmo and Abu Ghraib are not the problem. I'm telling you, no one is looking at anything real. I'm telling you to look into the real camps."