06-23-2004, 05:19 PM
Rumsfeld approved use of dogs, clothing removal, hooding
JUNE 23--In a bid to counter charges that military leaders approved the torture of suspected al-Qaeda detainees, the Department of Defense yesterday released classified memos detailing the U.S. government's evolving interrogation (or "counter-resistance strategies") policies with regard to prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility. On the following pages, you'll find a selection of these DoD memos, beginning with the below October 2002 request from a Gitmo commander seeking approval of certain interrogation methods, including the removal of clothing, using dogs to intimidate inmates, and "the use of stress-positions (like standing), for a maximum of four hours." In a December 2002 "action memo," Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved most of the tactics, though he scribbled a note wondering about the efficacy of one approach: "However, I stand for 8-10 hours a day. Why is standing limited to 4 hours?" In January 2003, Rumsfeld rescinded his approval of many of the interrogation techniques pending a DoD study. In April 2003, Rumsfeld issued a memo describing the newly approved counter-resistance techniques for "unlawful combatants" held at Guantanamo Bay. (14 pages)
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