T Squared
John Yoo, Torture Memo authorHear the loud alarum bells
Brazen bells!
What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells!
In the startled ear of night
How they scream out their affright!
--The Bells (1849), Edgar Allen Poe
The bells are ringin' for me and my gal.
The birds are singin' for me and my gal
--For Me and My Gal, Meyer/Leslie/Goetz
_________
The title refers to the subjects of this piece -- tinnitus and torture. Outrage, with a personal bent.
GWB the equivocator recently stated unequivocally that the U.S. does not engage in torture (isn't this a logical contrapositive: if a liar says something is not true [i.e., that the U.S. commits torture], isn't that the same as an honest person saying the truth is that the U.S. does commit torture?) Specifically, this addresses John Yoo's munificent definition in his original "torture memo" that torture is punishment that could result in organ failure.
Tinnitus is organ damage to the ear that can be caused by exposure to loud sounds. It can result in sensorineural hearing loss and a cascade of other problems emanating from the initial abuse. Some experts believe the damage is not only site-specific, but the brain is also involved.
Some effects of tinnitus are depression, inability to concentrate, irritability, impotence and even suicide. Tinnitus cannot be treated or reversed. Once you get it, you've got it for good.
Most combat soldiers have this condition and often don't realize it because the ringing and buzzing become the normal background.
One of the favored enhanced U.S. interrogation techniques is sleep deprivation combined with sensory overload/deprivation, combined with excessively loud music played over long periods of time. Tinnitus is being inflicted through this high decibel bombardment upon suspect's ears and brains.
As a bilateral tinnitus sufferer, Ranger knows the torture of lifetime damage to his ears. From that experience, I can assume lifetime disabling problems are being inflicted on these subjects. By John Yoo's definition, treatment equivalent to that which can result in organ failure is torture. Ears are organs.
The administration and intelligence agencies must stop this deplorable interrogation technique. It is neither cute nor effective. Inflicting this condition intentionally is torture in this Ranger's book.
posted by rangeragainstwar at 12:09 PM
2 Comments:
Most combat soldiers have this condition
that black rifle is one loud sumbitch ain't it ranger? and it's not like you can stop and stuff your ears before the various feces hit their respective fans. doing it ahead of time wouldn't work either. might miss something.
now, it's just there. all. the. time.
yep, i'd call it torture too.
i suggest that anybody who makes a ruling on what does or does not constitute torture first qualify SERE. then see how they feel.
MB,
I believe that a lot of my ear damage was caused my M-72 LAWS and CAR 15's. They seem to blow the muzzle blast right back into your ear.
I was also a 4.2" mortar platoon leader, and that didn't help matters, either. Then add three tours in marksmanship, service rifle, and you've got the makings of bilateral tinnitus. We're not even talking Airborne or Air mobile ops here.
When I was a young buck, they told me my ears would get used to it. What they meant was, you'll go deaf.
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