The letter can be found here . The fact that the US engaged in torture–by any international definition of torture– during our “war on terror” will go down as one of our most egregious ethical lapses. Even calling it a “lapse” is too polite . . . To be blunt: we have stooped to the level of many of the world’s worst dictators ever. Black sites. Beatings. Stripping naked. Dowsing with cold water. Threatening with death. Waterboarding. And even killing.
Given that Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that was approved by the UN in 1948, we came full circle in committing multiple crimes against humanity under Bush. To think that the leadership of the American Psychological Association colluded in this endeavor is appalling. To know that its Ethics Office–headed by a brilliant JD, PhD–facilitated and lubricated all of these dealings is Orwellian.