In November 2006 the Pentagon took the leadership of several health professional organizations to Guantanamo to show that the trains run all time and the detainees are being treated better than they deserve. On this trip were Gerald Koocher the outgoing President of the American Psychiatric Association and Pedro Ruiz the new President of the American Psychiatric Association.
After the strong, even inspiring, statements made by the previous APsychiatricA President Sharfstein on the involvement of psychiatrists in interrogations at Guantanamo, it was disappointing to see Ruiz play footsie with the Pentagon spin doctors:
The purpose of the trip was to visit the detainee health facilities and review policies and practices pertinent to detainee care and management. Needless to say, I quickly accepted the invitation and soon was oriented, briefed, and assisted by Col. Robert Ireland, a psychiatrist and program director for mental health policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.
On November 13, 2006, after a night's stay at Andrews Air Force Base, I boarded a 7 a.m. military plane. The visiting team consisted of about 20 persons, half of them senior officers from the Navy, Air Force, and Army. The others in the group were psychologists, psychiatrists, and physicians from specialties other than psychiatry....
For instance, the briefers told us that all detainees had been arrested while committing terrorist acts against the United States and that the detainees were accused of being terrorist trainers, bomb makers, Osama Bin Laden bodyguards, would-be suicide bombers, and terrorist financiers. Military briefers told us that two of the terrorism financiers contributed nearly $200 million to the preparation and execution of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Military officials also said that some of the detainees who were released from Camp Delta have returned to their terrorist activities....
On the day of our visit, we had a lunch that consisted of pasta and chicken, a salad, an orange, two toasted bread portions, two glasses of grapefruit juice, a diet soda, a bottle of water, and two pieces of baklava. As we were having our lunch, we were told that this was the lunch that all detainees at GTMO had that day.
The detention facilities consisted of two main models, one with high emphasis on security and the other with a more relaxied atmosphere and more space for recreational activities. We were told that detainees can advance from one to the other depending on their conduct and behavior. All cells have hygienic facilities and common areas for baths and recreation. ....
I must acknowledge that a visit of a few hours does not permit me to judge the validity of the various press accounts of day-to-day life for the detainees during their time at GTMO. However, during my return flight that evening, I thought a lot about the complexity of the situation at GTMO and how to best recognize and pay respect to the military men and women assigned to GTMO. In my opinion, the health care personnel—psychiatrists, other physicians, nurses, psychologists, and others—stationed at GTMO are doing an outstanding job under difficult and trying circumstances for everyone at GTMO. This column was written with this message in mind.
Meanwhile, former President Koocher of the APsychologicalA, Guantanamo apologist extraordinaire, is speaking this Friday on what he learned from his trip with the Spin Doctors. In a nice touch, psychologists can even receive CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for listening to the spin:
MPA is pleased to announce the following event:
GERALD KOOCHER: OBSERVATIONS OF GUANTANAMO (2CE)
Friday, February 9th, 2007 from 9:00am - 11:00am
MPA Offices in Wellesley, MA
FREE for MPA Members, $30 for Non Members
Call 781-263-0080 ext 10 to register
**** YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT ****
Gerald P. Koocher, the immediate past-president of APA, visited the military detention center at Guantanamo, Cuba in November 2006. Dr. Koocher will describe what he observed at Guantanamo, including interactions with behavioral science professionals providing health and mental health care and others consulting to interrogators. He will also discuss ethical dilemmas associated with correctional and national intelligence functions.
Learning Objectives
1) Participants will understand the roles and functions of psychologists currently serving with the Department of Defense Joint Task Force, Guantanamo.
2) Participants will review and understand the complexities of ethical decision making in correctional and national security contexts.
*** YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT - CALL 781-263-0080 EXT 10 TO REGISTER***
Lynne Mortarelli
Membership Associate
Massachusetts Psychological Association
195 Worcester Street, Suite 303
Wellesley, MA 02481
Phone 781.263.0080 x.13
Fax 781.263.0086
www.masspsych.org
First we were supposed to "take pride in the work of the PENS task force" in which a (secret) majority (6 of 9 voting members) from the military and intelligence agencies decided that it was ethical for psychologists to collaborate with the military and intelligence establishments in consulting to interrogations. Now we're supposed to listen to stories of "My fun with the brass in their fantastic-looking uniforms" as the final word on what goes on at Guantanamo.
The voices of the detainees quietly being driven insane, and of those heroic attorneys braving the full wrath of a vindictive government to try and obtain basic human rights for their detainee-clients (see, among innumerable accounts: Guantánamo's lost souls and Trapped at Guantanamo) are, of course, completely absent from these stories.