Psychologist James E. Mitchell was questioned during a military trial of the Guantanamo case and his statements surprised many. One of the topics covered was the use of counter-terrorism psychology, and Mitchell not only admitted that he used his knowledge to torture prisoners, but also added that he would do so again.
Let us remember that the concept of counterterrorism became popular and generalized after the September 11 attacks in the United States. The country itself has made a kind of declaration of war, especially against irregular armed groups in the Middle East.
- From this situation was born the invasion of Afghanistan.
- Among other events.
- The persecution of members of these irregular groups led to the capture of many of them and subsequently to their confinement at the Guantanamo military base.
- We learned first from Wikileaks.
- After others.
- The torture of prisoners in the case of Guantanamo with the help of psychologists.
“They can torture my body, break my bones and even kill me, but then they’ll keep my corpse, not my obedience. ” – Gandhi-
It all started when they found the famous Manchester Handbook. In fact, he was a guide to the Al Qaeda group for his followers, and taught, among other things, how they could lie during an interrogation. Psychologists James E. Mitchell and Bruce Jessen reviewed the document and sent it to U. S. authorities.
Everything indicates that they have managed to draw attention to their ability to confront Al Qaeda’s methods during interrogations. At the time, both worked as psychologists and instructors on the U. S. Air Force’s SERE (Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Escape) course. But it’s not the first time
Their job was to train American soldiers to resist the various pressures they might be subjected to if they were caught up in an armed confrontation. With the analysis of the Manchester Handbook, the work of these psychologists turned in the other direction: now they had to use their knowledge to interview the prisoners.
Mitchell and Jessen were considered the psychology experts behind the torture suffered by the prisoners at Guantanamo, however, if you look closely, they have used barbaric methods, which have existed for hundreds or thousands of years, justifying their use by theory. psychological.
According to these “experts”, they applied the theory of impotence learned to the case. Remember that this was formalized by psychologist Martin Seligman in 1967. It refers to the continuous punishment of a person learning to behave passively before an abuser, on the assumption that he is not. able to respond to these attacks. .
Mitchell and Jessen made a rough interpretation of this theory and thus created what they called “advanced interrogation techniques. “These techniques were nothing more than systematic physical abuse in a context of isolation, sleep deprivation and food, all with the aim of breaking the will. of inmates There is no innovation in that, but sadism.
These two psychologists did not even speak the language of the prisoners, but they were personally involved in torture cases, they themselves applied procedures such as drownings and blows to the head for hours, most intriguing of all that there are many indications that they have done so. failed to achieve its objectives; many prisoners resisted and didn’t say what they wanted to know.
Now that the Guantanamo case is still on trial against five inmates, Mitchell has been summoned to testify, but he is not charged with anything. Together with his colleague Jenssen, he earned $81 million for his work. Both have a clause that protects them, with $5 million against possible legal action against them, however, these trials will never take place, as the Guantanamo case is surrounded by total impunity.
It is grave that one of the world’s greatest powers will sponsor and encourage such cruel practices. It is also serious that they do not use psychology, but the name psychology, to perform acts of barbarism against humans.