Iraq army cooks 'swelter in 60C' (140F)

[Barrett808]

Army cooks in Iraq are working and detainees are being questioned in "unacceptably" high temperatures, the House of Lords has been told.

Kitchens with no air conditioning reach more than 60C (140F), Tory defence spokesman Lord Astor said.

He said it was so hot, computers were continually breaking down.

Junior defence minister Lord Drayson said air conditioning was gradually being installed, but said the MoD had not had complaints from kitchen staff.

Lord Astor asked: "Why are detainers in the Intelligence Corps still interrogating suspects in rooms without air conditioning? Computers are continually breaking down because of the heat and losing vital information.

"And why, after three years, are cooks and kitchen staff still working in temperatures in excess of 60C, that is 140F, and it's totally unacceptable."

(more)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6100170.stm

[WindRavenX]

1. Is it just me or is it sad irony...

...that our own army is operating under the same conditions that we apply tp torture enemy combatants in?

[Judi Lynn]

7. Everything I've read about it has involved extreme coldness, with no clothes, nor

any sheets, blankets, socks, with only a cement floor, no bed. They use "hypothermia" a lot describing these torture conditions.

[kurth]

2. So, the Brits went to Iraq thinking it's Ireland?

There are these things called electric fans and swamp coolers, ya know...

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. At that temperature, a fan is just blowing hot air at you

And there are thing called 'swamp coolers', but they're not called that in the UK. I don't know what they actually are. But yes, it is basically a story of incompetence and penny pinching by the government.

[sweetheart]

6. a swamp cooler is a water evaporative cooler

Just a fan and water trickling down a screen
in a dry climate... makes for cheap air con... don't work
in wet climates, probably why people donna use them in the UK.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

3. Can't stand the heat

I say we get out of that kitchen.

[Thor_MN]

5. Leave beef on the counter until it reaches room temp and call it rare