As told in this story in The Guardian, a medical task force, the Taskforce on Preserving Medical Professionalism in National Security Detention Centers, has concluded that doctors and psychologists working for the U.S. military since 9/11 were involved in the torture, both physically and psychologically, of prisoners held by the U.S. military. These prisoners were “suspected” of terrorism, but of course were never allowed any due process of law. But whether innocent, as most certainly were, or not, torture cannot ever be condoned or supported. It is a heinous act!
These doctors and nurses were said to have violated their code of ethics, but that description does not go far enough. They were involved in pure unadulterated physical, inhumane, barbarous and degrading torture of militarily held detainees. They did this on orders from the military and the CIA. The rub is in the way this story depicts those who acted on those orders, because the report indicated that they were “forced” to participate in this criminal act.
The findings by the medical task force primarily places the blame on the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and therefore exempts or lessens the blame on those doctors who actually participated in the torture of those prisoners. Not only did these doctors and nurses participate in torture, they failed to report these abuses to any authorities. They helped the military and the CIA to severely harm detainees, “from waterboarding to sleep deprivation and force-feeding,” and purposely hid the truth.
No one can force another to commit acts of horrible torture. That can only be done voluntarily, regardless of any threats or orders. Those doctors and nurses were not only complicit in doing the evils requested of them, they did so without attempting to right their wrongs. Not only was it a pathetic display of cowardice, it was the prosecution of intentional acts of depravity for the State!
All involved, regardless of position, who sanctioned these acts, the members of the military, those participants in the CIA and even the doctors should be tried for committing these atrocious crimes against man. If guilty, harsh punishment should be levied.
Acting on orders can never exempt one from guilt. Only the heroic act of refusal and exposure at any cost is acceptable!