Military Psychologists Face Complaints With Licensing Boards Over Roles at Guantanamo

[EFerrari]

Two U.S. military psychologists are facing complaints with their state licensing boards over their actions at Guantanamo Bay. The psychologists, Major General John Leso and Col. Larry James, are accused of helping perpetrate the abuse and torture of prisoners in violation of standards of professional conduct. We speak with Dr. Steven Reisner, a New York psychologist who filed one of the complaints.

Dr. Steven Reisner, New York psychologist and senior faculty and supervisor at the International Trauma Studies Program.



JUAN GONZALEZ: Two U.S. military psychologists are facing complaints with their state licensing boards over their actions at Guantanamo Bay. The psychologists Major-General John Leso and Colonel Larry James are accused of helping perpetrate the abuse and torture of prisoners in violation of standards of professional conduct. On Wednesday Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic filed a complaint against Larry James in Ohio where he now serves as Dean of Wright State’s School of Professional Psychology. Meanwhile, the Center for Justice and Accountability filed a complaint against John Leso here in New York. But James and Leso played key roles in interrogations at Guantanamo. Leso served at Guantanamo from June 2002 to January 2003. He led the Behavioral Science Consultation Team involved in the interrogation and torture of Mohammed al-Qahtani. In 2003 James arrived at Guantanamo to head a group of up to five psychologists who assisted in intelligence gathering and interrogations. James would later serve in Iraq where he became the first psychologist stationed at the Abu Ghraib Prison.

AMY GOODMAN: We’re joined in New York by the psychologist Dr. Steven Reisner. He filed the complaint against Major General John Leso here in New York with the assistance of the Center for Justice and Accountability. Steven Reisner is senior faculty and supervisor at the International Trauma Studies Program. He also teaches at New York University Medical School and Columbia University and is a founding member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology. He also ran for president of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Steve Reisner, welcome to Democracy Now! Can you lay out your complaint?

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/7/8/military_psychologists_face_complaints_with_licensing

Video, transcript at link.

These criminals' peers are bringing the suit the government won't bring! :woohoo:

[Raineyb]

1. Good! Using people in the healing professions to make torture more

effective is twisted and sick and those who participated should never be trusted again.

K&R!

[EFerrari]

3. Steve Reisner has been awesome and for years now.

He's just not letting go of this!

[Solly Mack]

2. k/r

[G_j]

4. not only should they not be practicing,

they should be in jail along with their superiors.

[EFerrari]

5. .