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<h1><b>The Background: U.S. Policy Shifts Ushered in
Abuse</b></h1><font size=3>
<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_law/etn/primetime/policy.asp" eudora="autourl">
http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_law/etn/primetime/policy.asp<br><br>
</a>In the wake of 9/11, leaders of the U.S. government at the highest
levels created a series of directives – including internal memos urging
soldiers to “take the gloves off” – that created a situation in which the
torture and abuse of prisoners in U.S. custody became widespread.
<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_law/etn/primetime/facts.asp">
See facts and figures outlining the scope of abuse.</a><br><br>
</font><h2><b>Timeline of U.S. Policy Encouraging
Abuse</b></h2><font size=3><b>October 11, 2002<br>
</b>Guantanamo officials request that additional techniques beyond those
in the U.S. Army Field Manual be approved for use.<br><br>
<b>December 2, 2002<br>
</b>Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld prescribes new interrogation
policy for Guantanamo, authorizing: stress positions, hooding,
20-hour interrogations, removal of clothing, exploiting phobias to induce
stress (e.g., fear of dogs), prolonged isolation, sensory deprivation,
and forced grooming (e.g forcing Muslim men to shave their beards against
religious edicts). These techniques soon spread to Afghanistan and later
to Iraq.<br><br>
<b>December 2002<br>
</b>FBI officials complain to Defense Department of abuses at
Guantanamo.<br><br>
<b>December 26, 2002<br>
</b>Washington Post reports regular, systemic abuses at Bagram detention
facility, including stress and duress techniques during
interrogation.<br><br>
<b>January 2003<br>
</b>Judge Advocates repeatedly object to aggressive interrogation
techniques at Guantanamo but Pentagon officials “didn’t think this was a
big deal,” so they ignored the JAGs’ objections. <br><br>
<b>January 15, 2003<br>
</b>Secretary Rumsfeld rescinds blanket approval of some techniques but
indicates techniques may continue based on his individual case
approval. Secretary Rumsfeld designates “Working Group” to assess
legal, policy and operational issues for detainee interrogation in the
war on terrorism.<br><br>
<b>January 24, 2003<br>
</b>Afghanistan Commander forwards list of techniques being used in
Afghanistan, including some inconsistent with Army Field Manual, to
inform Secretary Rumsfeld’s Working Group, including the use of dogs to
induce fear, the use of stress positions, and sensory deprivation.
<br><br>
<b>April 4, 2003<br>
</b>Working Group issues final report; recommends 35 interrogation
techniques to Secretary Rumsfeld, including techniques from Afghanistan
inconsistent with Army Field Manual.<br><br>
<b>April 16, 2003<br>
</b>Secretary Rumsfeld approves 24 of the recommended techniques for use
at Guantanamo, including dietary and environmental manipulation, sleep
adjustment, false flag (e.g. making detainees believe they are in the
custody of a nation that is known to torture) and isolation.<br><br>
<b>May 2003<br>
</b>Red Cross reports 200 cases of alleged detainee abuse in U.S. custody
in Iraq to U.S. Central Command.<br><br>
<b>May 30, 2003<br>
</b>FBI reasserts its objections to Guantanamo interrogation techniques
to Guantanamo commander. <br><br>
<b>July 2003<br>
</b>Captain of unit responsible for killing two detainees in Afghanistan
proposes interrogation techniques for Abu Ghraib, including stress
positions, removal of clothing, lengthy isolation, sensory and sleep
deprivation and use of dogs. Lt. Gen. Sanchez approves
techniques.<br><br>
<b>August 2003<br>
</b>Secretary Rumsfeld sends Guantanamo commander, General Geoffrey
Miller, to Iraq to “Gitmo-ize” Iraqi detention facilities, promoting
widescale deployment of more aggressive interrogation methods in
Iraq.<br><br>
<b>August 31 - September 9, 2003<br>
</b>Guantanamo commander brings policies to Abu Ghraib; uses techniques
as baseline for recommending new, harsher interrogation techniques at Abu
Ghraib.<br><br>
<b>September 2003<br>
</b>Lt. Gen. Sanchez authorizes 29 interrogation techniques for use in
Iraq, including the use of dogs, stress positions, sensory deprivation,
loud music and light control, based on Secretary Rumsfeld’s April 16
techniques and suggestions from captain of military unit formerly in
Afghanistan.<br><br>
<b>October 12, 2003<br>
</b>Iraqi interrogation techniques modified but still authorize officers
to control the lighting, heat, food, shelter, and clothing given to
detainees and permit the use of dogs in interrogations with prior
authorization.<br><br>
<b>October - December 2003<br>
</b>Torture and serious abuses of detainees take place at Abu Ghraib.
<br><br>
<b>December 2003<br>
</b>U.S. Army report details abuses committed against detainees in Iraq
by task force of military Special Operations and CIA officers, known as
Task Force 121.<br><br>
<b>January 13, 2004<br>
</b>Joseph Darby gives Army criminal investigators CD containing the Abu
Ghraib photographs depicting detainee torture and abuses. <br><br>
<b>February 24, 2004<br>
</b>Red Cross issues confidential report to Coalition Provisional
Authority documenting widespread abuse and command failures to take
corrective action.<br><br>
<b>February 26, 2004<br>
</b>Maj. Gen. Taguba completes investigation; reports of “systematic” and
“sadistic, blatant and wanton criminal abuses” at Abu Ghraib.
<a href="http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/us_law/800th_MP_Brigade_MASTER14_Mar_04-dc.pdf">
Read the Taguba Report</a> <br><br>
<b>March 2004 <br>
</b>Abuse of detainees continues in Iraq. <br><br>
<b>April 28, 2004<br>
</b>60 Minutes II airs segment showing Abu Ghraib photos.<br><br>
<b>May 2004<br>
</b>Abuse of detainees continues in Iraq.<br><br>
<b>August 24, 2004<br>
</b>Secretary Rumsfeld-appointed panel reports the Secretary’s
interrogation policy led to confusion in the field as to what techniques
were authorized; also reports that civilian Defense Department leaders
failed in their interrogation and detention duties.<br><br>
Senator John McCain introduces legislation to reinforce the United
States’ obligation under the U.N. Convention on Torture not to engage in
“cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment;” to restrict
interrogation methods used by U.S. personnel to those listed in the Army
Field Manual; to require the registration of all U.S. military prisoners
with the Red Cross, and to end the practice of sending detainees abroad
for interrogation by foreign governments. But Bush Administration
officials and congressional allies prevents vote on legislation, saying
the provisions would restrict the President’s ability to fight
terrorism.<br><br>
<b>September 2005<br><br>
</b>Army Captain Ian Fishback provides firsthand account of widespread
prisoner abuse in Iraq, describing prisoners in captivity having bones
broken, being forced to form human pyramids, and having their eyes doused
with chemical irritants.<br><br>
<b>October 3, 2005<br><br>
</b>Almost 30 retired military officers, including General John
Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff advocate in a
letter to ban all cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Former
Secretary of State Colin Powell adds his support to the ban.<br><br>
<b>October 5, 2005<br>
</b>Senate votes 90 to 9 to ban all cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
and requires that all interrogations in military facility comply with the
army field manual.<br><br>
<b>December 15, 2005<br><br>
</b>House of Representatives votes 308 to 122 in support of the ban and
President Bush agrees to the ban, losing his fight to get CIA immunity
for its acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.<br>
Congress also passes Graham-Levin Amendment, which would permit evidence
gained by coercion to be used in detention proceedings<br><br>
<b>December 31, 2005<br><br>
</b>President Bush signs Detainee Treatment Act into law, but adds a
signing statement, writing that he would construe the law in a manner
consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to
supervise the unitary executive branch and Commander in Chief . . .
[which] . . . will assist in . . . protecting the American
people from further terrorist attacks.” This is in effect a
statement saying he will adhere to the law so long as he does not view it
as interfering with his power as commander-in-chief, and if and when he
views it as an intrusion, he will ignore it. <br><br>
<b>February 2006<br><br>
</b>Human Rights First releases <i>Command’s Responsibility</i>,
documenting nearly one hundred deaths in U.S. custody in Iraq and
Afghanistan and inadequate actions taken by investigators and command to
address the abuses and deaths.<br><br>
<b>March 2006<br>
</b>Department of Defense prohibits admission of evidence obtained by
torture in military commission proceedings<br><br>
<b>June 29, 2006<br><br>
</b>U.S. Supreme Court rules that Common Article 3 of the Geneva
Conventions applies to the U.S. conflict with al Qaeda, thereby
prohibiting cruel, humiliating and degrading treatment.<br><br>
<b>July 7, 2006<br><br>
</b>Department of Defense orders compliance with Common Article
3.<br><br>
<b>September 6, 2006<br><br>
</b>President Bush acknowledges for the first time the CIA’s secret
detention program and use of “alternative interrogation procedures” on
so-called “high value detainees,” saying that any legislation passed by
Congress must allow the program to go forward.<br><br>
<b>October 17, 2006<br><br>
</b>President Bush signs into law the Military Commissions Act, which,
among other things, supporters claim eliminates habeas corpus for
detainees categorized as “enemy combatant,” narrows the scope of laws
criminalizing humiliating and degrading treatment, and permits coerced
evidence into military commission trials. The President asserts
that on the basis of the new law the secret detention and interrogation
program operated by the CIA could continue if need arises.<br><br>
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