Memos shed light on CIA use of sleep deprivation

[cal04]

Though widely perceived as more effective and less objectionable than other interrogation methods, memos show it's harsher and more controversial than most realize. And it could be brought back.
By Greg Miller
May 10, 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-interrogate10-2009may10,0,4934919,full.story

As President Obama prepared last month to release secret memos on the CIA's use of severe interrogation methods, the White House fielded a flurry of last-minute appeals.

One came from former CIA Director Michael V. Hayden, who expressed disbelief that the administration was prepared to expose methods it might later decide it needed.

"Are you telling me that under all conditions of threat, you will never interfere with the sleep cycle of a detainee?" Hayden asked a top White House official, according to sources familiar with the exchange.

From the beginning, sleep deprivation had been one of the most important elements in the CIA's interrogation program, used to help break dozens of suspected terrorists, far more than the most violent approaches. And it is among the methods the agency fought hardest to keep.

(snip)
Experience with sleep deprivation shows that 'surprisingly, little seemed to go wrong with the subjects physically,' " said the May 10, 2005, Justice Department memo -- one of many instances in which government lawyers cited scientific papers in asserting the program was safe.

But some authors of those studies have since said that the conclusions of their research were grossly misapplied.

[Arctic Dave]

1. Little seemed to go wrong physicaly, not so much mentally.

Hell, even i'm aware that sleep depravation causes phychosis.

[stillcool]

2. It was nauseating to read ..

continuously in those memos what does or does not constitute "severe mental or physical pain"..vs. being "uncomfortable". I went to the emergency once for an ear infection. I thought that was severe pain.