As if we didn't already know Barney was torture

[Tyler Durden]

Sesame Street breaks Iraqi POWs
>
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>'Culturally offensive' music is being used to break prisoners
>Heavy metal music and popular American children's songs are being used by
>US interrogators to break the will of their captives in Iraq.
>
>Uncooperative prisoners are being exposed for prolonged periods to tracks
>by rock group Metallica and music from children's TV programmes Sesame
>Street and Barney in the hope of making them talk.
>
>The US's Psychological Operations Company (Psy Ops) said the aim was to
>break a prisoner's resistance through sleep deprivation and playing music
>that was culturally offensive to them.
>
>However, human rights organisation, Amnesty International, said such
>tactics may constitute torture - and coalition forces could be in breach of
>the Geneva Convention.
>
>Sergeant Mark Hadsell, of Psy Ops, told Newsweek magazine: "These people
>haven't heard heavy metal.
>
>  This is an issue that seriously concerns us. If there is a prolonged
>period of sleep deprivation, it could well be considered torture
>
>Amnesty International spokesperson
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>"They can't take it. If you play it for 24 hours, your brain and body
>functions start to slide, your train of thought slows down and your will is
>broken. That's when we come in and talk to them."
>
>Sgt Hadsell's favourites are said to be 'Bodies' from the XXX film
>soundtrack and Metallica's 'Enter Sandman'.
>
>The theme tune from the US children's programme Sesame Street and songs
>from the purple singing dinosaur Barney are also on their hit list.
>
>"In training, they forced me to listen to the Barney "I Love You" song for
>45 minutes. I never want to go through that again," one US operative told
>the magazine.
>
>'No lasting effect'
>
>Rick Hoffman, vice president of the Psy Ops Veterans Association, told BBC
>Radio 4's Today programme that such a tactic would have no long-lasting
>effect on prisoners.
>
>"The use of this kind of audio-technique is rather new in interrogation,"
>he said.
>
>"There have been other kinds of non-lethal, non-harmful techniques, such as
>sleep deprivation... which leave no long-lasting effects but do have the
>end result of breaking down the individual's will to resist questioning."
>
>
>The TV theme tunes are repeated over long periods
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>Amnesty International told BBC News Online that at least one Iraqi captive
>- a civilian, later released - had reported being kept awake for up to four
>days by loud music.
>
>"This is an issue that seriously concerns us. If there is a prolonged
>period of sleep deprivation, it could well be considered torture," said a
>spokeswoman.
>
>"It is a very difficult line to draw between what constitutes discomfort
>and what constitutes torture - that line will vary for individuals and it
>would depend on each particular case," she added.
>
>She said they were looking into whether the US and UK were abiding by their
>responsibilities under the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners
>of war.
>
>The UK's Ministry of Defence has said all its prisoners are being held
>under the terms of the Geneva Convention and are visited by members of the
>International Red Cross.
>
>
>
>

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