The photographs that revealed the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib shocked the world. American military personnel and civilian contractors are seen engaged in practices prohibited by the Geneva Conventions, the Army Field Manual, and US and international law. Further revelations about CIA rendition policies, deaths in custody, Guantanamo detainees, and government secrecy raise critical questions about US culture and the practices and conditions that have fostered the resort to torture. This forum will examine two issues 1. What in US culture predisposes us to torture or to a tolerance for torture? 2. What strengths and weaknesses have US leadership groups (political, military, religious, medical, psychological, legal, etc.) exhibited in responding to the current controversies over torture? Moderator: Bill mcgarvey, Editor-in-Chief, Busted Halo, Online Magazine Panel: David Danzig, Human Rights First, Director, Primetime Torture Project Professor Todd Gitlin, Columbia University School of Journalism Richard Alleva, Film Critic, Commonweal
The photographs that revealed the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib shocked the world. American military personnel and civilian contractors are seen engaged in practices prohibited by the Geneva Conventions, the Army Field Manual, and US and international law. Further revelations about CIA rendition policies, deaths in custody, Guantanamo detainees, and government secrecy raise critical questions about US culture and the practices and conditions that have fostered the resort to torture. This forum will examine two issues 1. What in US culture predisposes us to torture or to a tolerance for torture? 2. What strengths and weaknesses have US leadership groups (political, military, religious, medical, psychological, legal, etc.) exhibited in responding to the current controversies over torture? Moderator: Margaret obrien Steinfels, Fordham Center on Religion and Culture; Panel:David Danzig, Human Rights First, Director, Primetime Torture Project; Richard Alleva, Film Critic, Commonweal; Dean William Treanor, Dean, Fordham University School of Law; Col. Patrick Lang (Ret.), President, Global Resources Group; Rev. Drew Christiansen, SJ, Editor, America Magazine; Prof. Stephen Behnke, Ethics Office, American Psychological Association
The photographs that revealed the torture and abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib shocked the world. American military personnel and civilian contractors are seen engaged in practices prohibited by the Geneva Conventions, the Army Field Manual, and US and international law. Further revelations about CIA rendition policies, deaths in custody, Guantanamo detainees, and government secrecy raise critical questions about US culture and the practices and conditions that have fostered the resort to torture. This forum will examine two issues 1. What in US culture predisposes us to torture or to a tolerance for torture? 2. What strengths and weaknesses have US leadership groups (political, military, religious, medical, psychological, legal, etc.) exhibited in responding to the current controversies over torture? Moderator: Bill mcgarvey, Editor-in-Chief, Busted Halo, Online Magazine Panel: David Danzig, Human Rights First, Director, Primetime Torture Project Professor Todd Gitlin, Columbia University School of Journalism Richard Alleva, Film Critic, Commonweal
