Sex, lies and testimony at Gitmo...

The 'credit card swipe' and other forms of torture at Guantanamo. Full testimony of Army Private Brandon Neely as he recounts his days there.

So an escorting MP would pull the detainee's pants down and the doctor would instruct the detainee to lean over the table. Then, with a surgical glove on his hand, the doctor shoved his finger in the rectum of the detainee. Both times I witnessed this I never once saw any kind of lubrication used; they did not use the lube that was on the table to perform this. This exam was not done in any gentle manner whatsoever. It seemed to me that the doctor just reached back and shoved his finger as hard as he could in the rectum of the detainee. I witnessed this twice with my own eyes (at this time I was working blocks more). But I heard it talked about many times from other soldiers. Even when I was not witness to these exams, but was still within earshot of the tent they were performed in, I could hear the detainees scream and cry out during the exam. I even remember one detainee coming out of the tent after this looking like he was in tears. I know through talking with other people who witnessed this that the doctor would make little smart comments before he did the exam like "this won't hurt; it will only take a minute," in a very sarcastic manner. And that sometimes the doctor would even be laughing.

Also, each detainee was searched when he left his cage and when he returned to his cage. In the process of searching or patting-down the detainee we were taught a technique which we called the "credit card swipe". You would take your hand put all your fingers straight together and go straight up the backside of a person. If this was done the correct way just a quick swipe it really was no big deal, but some people took it to the extreme, and would do it so hard--in effect just hitting the detainee in the private area to cause pain.

Via Harpers

Novel solution for sexual offenders

Especially for the ones that harm children. Cruel and dastardly solution, but effective. Of course, getting anything like this rule even remotely near the lawmakers is a non starter here in the United States. The Czechs have better checks on this account...

A doctor makes an incision in a man's scrotal sack and, deftly wielding his scalpel, quickly removes both testicles. In the Czech Republic that simple operation is the punishment for male sex offenders. But to the Council of Europe, the region's leading human rights body, the procedure is "invasive, irreversible and mutilating." In a report issued last week the Council called the punishment "degrading" and demanded it be scrapped immediately. Over the past decade, at least 94 prisoners have undergone the treatment in the Czech Republic, the only country in Europe to continue to surgically castrate sex offenders. The Czech government insists the procedure is a medical issue, permanently reducing testosterone levels to lower an offender's sexual urges. (More here)

Painting post

Sunil, 'Moksha', Oil on canvas, 88" X 84", 2008

It was about a year back. On a weekend, we decided to head out to the Princeton University campus for a quick stroll. The campus gets especially beautiful during fall and last year was no different. Steadfast trees and the undecided leaves on seemed to take on an entirely different hue as they tried to fight the oncoming cold months. Pushing our little son’s baby stroller along, we chanced upon a press release announcing a new exhibition underway at the Princeton University Art Museum. Museum visits are challenging with little ones in tow, but on a whim, we decided to go in and quickly check out the offerings. On display were Fazal Sheik’s photographs of widows in India. It seemed that they were constrained to a strange life of isolation after their husbands had passed on from this world. Due to strange local mores and traditions, they were castoff from normal life and society and constrained to a life of worship - worship of the Hindu god Krishna – it were as if the fault that their spouses died were directly attributed to some failing of their and they were undergoing penitence through a life of prayer. As is attendant with tragic situations like the ones they faced, it was clear that sexual abuse, extreme isolation, mental issues and physical ailments visit the widows. Factors like abuse and isolation tend to leave their characteristic marks on humans. The human face records time and abuse like no other part of our mortal frames – one only has to look carefully for the signs. I wrote about the exhibition in detail here, but what caught me the most was the look on their faces. I took some pictures of the stark black and white faces for projects that were undecided then. Over the past year, I have been planning on painting some of the more evocative ones but did not find the time or inclination. Finally, over the past month, I completed this particular lady. I plan on completing about four more over this year. This was painted in raw sienna, monochrome - a lighter color that I hoped would try and mute the abject darkness inherent in the lady’s face. Of course, try as I might, the light color did not seem to help.

Morning thoughts on bailouts and abuse

If the Fed and the government allows Lehman to fail, it might be better for al of us - having a market correction now rather than keep delaying the inevitable is definitely not good for the nations interests at large. Plus the usual argument 'they were too big to fail' put forward by the Fed in the case of Bear, Fannie and Freddie seems more rancid than ever - especially with many other distressed banks in the line after Lehman... (read WaMu, Wachovia etc…)

An interesting line from today's Wall Street Journal (WSJ): "To avoid reckless lending in the future, failure has to be an option.". Never thought I will see this day when ultimate free market cheerleaders like the WSJ opines on an investment bank's failure.

The other thought I was having was that it is time for Obama to act and act decisively. Especially in light of the shameful 'kindergarden sex-education' advert which was clearly a complete bag of lies. If Mr. Obama does not act now, come out forcefully and tell the nation that what is at play is pure partisan politics which erases the lines between the truth and untruth and the public needs to start questioning adverts like these, we as a nation would be the losers. He needs to tell us that as a responsible parent of two young girls he took the right steps in sponsoring legislation that will protect young children from predators and for the McPalin team to distort this record is simply dishonest and dishonorable. In addition, he will need to demand a public apology from the McCain for distorting his vote on protecting young children from sexual predators. If he does not do this soon enough and forcefully enough, he will lose the election.

From here: “I have a 6-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old daughter, and one of the things my wife and I talked to our daughter about is the possibility of somebody touching them inappropriately, and what that might mean,” Mr. Obama said in 2004. “And that was included specifically in the law, so that kindergarteners are able to exercise some possible protection against abuse, because I have family members as well as friends who suffered abuse at that age.”