Military Covers Its Ass Regarding Torture Practices

Photo From The Memory Hole

From Nicholas D. Kristof of the NY Times Op-Ed we learn of Specialist Sean Baker, 37, Air Force Veteran and member of Kentucky National Guard who was recently an MP at Guantanamo Bay. He was told to pretend to be a prisoner in a training drill where 5 soldiers could practice extracting information from an uncooperative inmate in January of 2003. The soldiers were told that Baker was a genuine detainee. Here's where the fun begins. He talked to a Kentucky TV station recently:

"They grabbed my arms, my legs, twisted me up and unfortunately one of the individuals got up on my back from behind and put pressure down on me while I was face down. Then he — the same individual — reached around and began to choke me and press my head down against the steel floor. After several seconds, 20 to 30 seconds, it seemed like an eternity because I couldn't breathe. When I couldn't breathe, I began to panic and I gave the code word I was supposed to give to stop the exercise, which was `red.' . . . That individual slammed my head against the floor and continued to choke me. Somehow I got enough air. I muttered out: `I'm a U.S. soldier. I'm a U.S. soldier.' "

...Baker began suffering seizures, so the military sent him to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center for treatment of a traumatic brain injury. He stayed at the hospital for 48 days, was transferred to light duty in an honor burial detail at Fort Dix, N.J., and was finally given a medical discharge two months ago...

...Meanwhile, a military investigation concluded that there had been no misconduct involved in Mr. Baker's injury...

...Most appalling, when Mr. Baker told his story to a Kentucky reporter, the military lied in a disgraceful effort to undermine his credibility...

...Mr. Baker, who is married and has a 14-year-old son, is now unemployed, taking nine prescription medications and still suffering frequent seizures....

If the U.S. military treats one of its own soldiers this way — allowing him to be battered, and lying to cover it up — then imagine what happens to Afghans and Iraqis.