Patterico's Pontifications

11/15/2007

The GTMO Detention Manual

Filed under: Terrorism,War — DRJ @ 8:54 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

While Patterico hosts a lively debate on interrogation and the morality of waterboarding, it may be a good time to take a peak inside the GTMO detention manual:

“A detailed insight into the inner workings of the Guantánamo detention camp, ranging from items allowed in cells to how many witnesses should be present for cavity searches, is provided in a leaked Pentagon manual.

More than 350 prisoners are still held in Guantánamo. The manual covers almost every possible aspect of life at the base, from arrival to burial. A page carries a graphic showing how Muslims should be buried.

Although the manual dates back to 2003, the year after the camp at the US navy base in Cuba opened, it offers a rare glimpse of life in the high security camp. The 238 pages list the rules governing the daily life of the prisoners but also provides insights into how the US guards and interrogators view the inmates.

It details an elaborate reward system in which prisoners who show signs of cooperating or at least responding positively are rewarded with “comfort items” such as a regular bar of soap rather than a small one.

It covers how to identify potential leaders, orders latex gloves to be used when handling mail in case of hazardous chemicals, and the number of MPs to be present when prisoners take showers.”

According to the Guardian article, the leaked manual first appeared on the website Wikileaks that encourages people to send in sensitive documents. Lt. Col. Ed Bush, a Guantanamo spokesman, said the manual should not have been made public and noted that parts of the manual are outdated and have been changed.

A PDF version of the unclassified version of the manual is here. The Guardian article lists the following key points:

“· On arrival, the Behaviour Management Plan kicks into action: the aim is to “enhance and exploit the disorientation and disorganisation felt by a newly arrived detainee”.

· An elaborate reward system to try to encourage cooperation. Rewards include bigger pieces of soap, and more time in the recreation yard.

· In spite of repeated assertions by the International Red Cross of full access, the manual makes it clear that such access would be denied to some prisoners.

· Guards and other security staff told lines to take with media, particularly on GWOT (Global War on Terror). “We are making progress in the GWOT through a concerted effort with our coalition partners.”

In summary, the GTMO manual uses a reward system and “divide and conquer” to deal with detainees. I’m sure GTMO is no fun but some of these techniques sound more like ones used by an American family than a military detention camp.

— DRJ

9 Responses to “The GTMO Detention Manual”

  1. You mean to say that these war criminals are being given hotel soap?

    The callous disregard this Administration displays for simple human decency is just unprecedented.

    chaos (9c54c6)

  2. With slouch and swing around the ring
    We trod the Fool’s Parade!
    We did not care: we knew we were
    The Devil’s Own Brigade:
    And shaven head and feet of lead
    Make a merry masquerade.

    We tore the tarry rope to shreds
    With blunt and bleeding nails;
    We rubbed the doors, and scrubbed the floors,
    And cleaned the shining rails:
    And, rank by rank, we soaped the plank,
    And clattered with the pails.

    We sewed the sacks, we broke the stones,
    We turned the dusty drill:
    We banged the tins, and bawled the hymns,
    And sweated on the mill:
    But in the heart of every man
    Terror was lying still.

    nk (09a321)

  3. I wonder if Iran, Syria, China, or other countries that have such tremendous reputations on prisoner policies have specific manuals used to detail how their prisoners are to be treated when held, including such things as soap…

    And while I’m at it, I wonder if their manuals will be leaked to the Guardian….

    Dang, I’m digressing again….

    reff (99666d)

  4. Wikileak, eh? Guess I’ll head over there and see if they’ve got Kerry’s full military records yet…

    ObeliskToucher (66523a)

  5. Heh. Good luck, OT.

    DRJ (9578af)

  6. When will the trolls tell us these people are being tortured by not getting the soap of their choice?

    Thomas Jackson (bf83e0)

  7. This is nothing other than a Soviet style gulag where torture is part of the daily routine. This is likely a fake copy, leaked by Rove, to try to show that we are being humane, and to try to help Bu$Hitler keep from being impeached for lying about not torturing people on a day to day basis.

    JD (33beff)

  8. If they really wanted to torture the prisoners, they would make them sleep with their mattresses on the floor.

    tmac (0c909a)

  9. That was a real patriot that leaked this.

    JD (33beff)


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