Psychologists Back Off Ban On Detainee Aid

(CBS/AP)  The nation's largest group of psychologists scrapped a measure Sunday that would have prohibited members from assisting interrogators at Guantanamo Bay and other U.S. military detention centers.

The American Psychological Association's policy-making council voted against a proposal to ban psychologists from taking part in any interrogations at U.S. military prisons "in which detainees are deprived of adequate protection of their human rights."

Instead, the group approved a resolution that reaffirmed the association's opposition to torture and restricted members from taking part in interrogations that involved any of more than a dozen specific practices, including sleep deprivation and forced nakedness. Violators could be expelled and lose their state licenses to practice.

Critics of the proposed ban who spoke before the vote at the 148,000-member organization's annual meeting said the presence of psychologists would help insure interrogators did not abuse prisoners.

"If we remove psychologists from these facilities, people are going to die," said Army Col. Larry James, who serves as a psychologist at Guantanamo Bay.

Supporters argued that psychologists should not be working at detention centers where prisoners are detained indefinitely without being charged.

"If psychologists have to be there so detainees don't get killed, those conditions are so horrendous that the only moral and ethical thing is to leave," said Laurie Wagner, a psychologist from Dallas.

The resolution states in part:

"[T]he American Psychological Association affirms that there are no exceptional circumstances whatsoever, whether induced by a state of war or threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, that may be invoked as a justification for torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, including the invocation of laws, regulations, or orders…"

The group also called on the U.S. government (including Congress, the Department of Defense, and the Central Intelligence Agency) to "prohibit the use of these methods in all interrogations."

The association's vote follows reports that mental health specialists were involved in prisoner abuse scandals at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

[xzavierbrown]

in some wierd way...the terrorists and the liberals are both worried..or should i say liberals and terrorists..ohhell..i cant tell the difference anymore

[pastdue1]

"If psychologists have to be there so detainees don''t get killed, those conditions are so horrendous that the only moral and ethical thing is to leave," said Laurie Wagner, a psychologist from Dallas."
Obviously, someone needs to be there ~ but who? I do not understand her statement. It seems to me that the only moral and ethical thing is to leave and find a way to bring the immoral and unethical behavior to someone''s attention who will make it public. Is that so naive?
Torture is really not good for the tortured , but also, it is a poor excuse for power for those who torture. And again, to pound the same old drum that gets so much pounding during this administration ~ it diminishes America''s image around the world.

[feelfree1]

Re: "The nation''s largest group of psychologists scrapped a measure Sunday that would have prohibited members from assisting interrogators at Guantanamo Bay and other U.S. military detention centers."

What a bunch of mentally ill clowns and quacks!

Heal thy self!

[j-whitman]

Extremophil,,, Nobody''s perfect,,, Yet, they sure understand more about the limitations of the human mind than any republican & they certainly know more than either Bush, Cheney or Gonzales & thier Faith Based interrigations.

[extremophil]

We should let the psychologists interrogate the prisoners. Psychologists are perfect....they know everything.

[fredhetz]

It strikes me as naive to think that a psychologist is going to leap up and prevent the death of a detainee/prisoner. They would simply not allow a psychologist to be present for something like that. It''s noble of APA members to think that they can help prevent deaths but it''s not realistic.

[fredhetz]

It strikes me as naive to think that a psychologist is going to leap up and prevent the death of a detainee/prisoner. They would simply not allow a psychologist to be present for something like that. It''s noble of APA members to think that they can help prevent deaths but it''s not realistic.

[fredhetz]

It strikes me as naive to think that a psychologist is going to leap up and prevent the death of a detainee/prisoner. They would simply not allow a psychologist to be present for something like that. It''s noble of APA members to think that they can help prevent deaths but it''s not realistic.