American Torture

American academic, Michael Otterman, is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, as well as an award-winning journalist and filmmaker.

It was my pleasure to hear this engaging young scholar speak last night at Bellingen's BellaBookafe on the subject of his book, American Torture. Mr Otterman's lecture was sponsored by the Bellingen Institute.

Despite it being a wet night, the lecture was well attended and Michael Otterman impressed the audience with his knowledge of the history and current practice of torture by US institutions such as the military and the CIA, and the political context in which torture is condoned and encouraged. I've not yet read his book, which is available at americantorture.com, but, basing my opinion on the lecture I heard, I'm sure it is an excellent document on the subject. I commend the website, which is more than a plug for the book, as it is also a blog with fairly regular informative items on this pressing subject.

Only yesterday we posted on the horrific torture practice known as waterboarding, which is lamentably sanctioned by the administration of George W Bush. Click here for previous items I have posted about torture.

Please support and be informed by Amnesty International, which, although not perfect (as Mr Otterman agreed in response to a question from the audience), is one of the best agencies in the world campaigning for basic human rights and an end to torture.

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A Vote for Mukasey Is a Vote for Torture

Categories: usa, torture, war+on+terror, cia, army, military