Posted on 04/26/2009 6:20:31 AM PDT by Eric
My fellow veterans please forgive me. But I must purge my soul. I only ask that you reserve judgment until you read all of if. I only want peace for all and a world free of torture.
What I saw in the military was much worse than water boarding. The prisoners were taken to a 12 foot deep pool. Feet weighted they were forced into the pool. Those who hesitated, were moved onto a plank high above the pool and forced off. They were to stay in this deep water for over an hour feet weighted and in full clothing. Those who touched the side of the pool had their fingers stepped on by angry guards. Not enough to break their fingers as that would reveal this terrible secret but just enough to inflect severe pain without detectable injury. The guards knew their craft well. Like water boarding, the prisoners were not allowed to drown. No, that would expose the cover-up.
It gets worse! I must tell all! They were then taken to a wooden building far from the main complex. A lantern like device burned in the middle of the building. It gave off a horrible gas. The prisoners were forced to run around the lantern without the benefit of the gas masks worn by the guards and sing in their native language their country’s patriotic songs. I saw them with my own eyes as they were finally released from the windowless building: eyes red, mucus flowing uncontrollably from their mouths and noses. Some looked near death. A spec of humanity prevailed as they were allowed to recover for several minutes before being taken to the bleachers.
The prisoners were taken to the bleachers. I think there were about one hundred of them. They were not restrained, no that would blow this horrible trick. The bleachers were located in a bug infested marsh. Those prisoners who moved their hands in any effort to ward of the flying bugs were severely punished. Mockingly, the guards in the native language of the prisoners said that “their bugs had to eat too.” The guard threw a dud hand grenade into the helpless group. He laughed as they scattered in terror. The prisoners were regathered and prepared for more.
I saw one prisoner taken out of out of line in just his shorts which were on backwards. Horrible sexual innuendos and insults were directed at him. I saw a tear roll down his cheek.
The prisoners were United States Marine recruits the “torture” described above was part of our training. The guards were drill instructors. The above is why we shake our heads in disbelief when water-boarding, bugs, and loud music are described as torture by the main stream press.
The above prepared us for combat so that fair-weather pacifists can stand on our street corners only in the best of weather. God forbid, they should be out in the cold or even worse the rain as that would resemble water-boarding.
Ed
USMC.
Vietnam 1967-1968
Poor treatment of prisoners - yes. Torture - no.
“Confesses?” So now it’s a crime to WITNESS torture?
Most of us know this, but it will never get published.
You gotta read the whole thing. Read it again.
Evidently a few people responded without reading the entire letter...!
Yes, it’s very good.
Read the whole post.
Read the last couple of lines of the article. These were not prisoners, they were Marine recruits going through basic training.........
Do any of you ever read the entire article before you post a reply?
Looks like some of the Freepers missed the part where he says he is talking about the Marine recruits, not prisoners!
Semper Fi, Dude!
great letter, i hope it gets published.
“Do any of you ever read the entire article before you post a reply?”
Not usually.
That’s why they generally get it all wrong.
Again, I posted this as it was written. I think the author wanted to get your attention...which he did, to make a point. By the way, I erred when I said there are no edits...to be published in the NYT, he had to submit his full name and phone number. I removed that before I posted here.
Absolutely agree!
If Kalid Sheik Mohammed was taken out into the woods in December at Camp Petawawa (NW of Ottawa) and left out there for a week, Democrats, ACLU and moslem sympathizers would all be screaming torture, deliberate freezing etc.
But that’s just part of JTF hell week that dozens of Canadian soldiers go thru every year.
The same and worse for Rangers, Seals, and certain other special forces..
To them, waterboarding is a sunday afternoon drinking game.
I did. As a former Marine myself, I was reading this and getting angrier by the word thinking ‘BS- I went through this in training! Torture, my ass!’.
Frankly if it means the lives af Americans or their own lives, and if it has a purpose, "enhance" your interrogations all you want.
Rememeber the other side cuts off heads and the aggressor sets the rules.
Μολὼν λάβε
Our youngest son was waterboarded and exposed to extreme interrogation before deploying with the Navy to a sandy place.
It’s part of the training. But God forbid we do the same to people seeking to destroy the United States.
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