2008 Woodie Awards
Video related to this article is available below.Issue date: 7/17/08 Section: News
Prof. denies rumors of assistance in torture techniques
New book cites professor's psych research as influential in torture
Alyssa Schwenk
Seligman gave an SERE-sponsored lecture at the San Diego Naval Base in May 2002, where both he and Mayer said he spoke about how U.S. soldiers could apply his theories as a protection mechanism while being tortured.
Both Mitchell and Jessen were present at Seligman's lecture, which, Seligman wrote, was attended by about 50 people and lasted about three hours.
There, he says he was told that as a "civilian with no security clearance they could not discuss American methods of interrogation with me." He added that he has "not had contact with SERE since that meeting."
Mayer's book implies that Seligman's speech and prior published work played a large role in Mitchell and Jessen's development of torture techniques. Using Seligman's work, the book alleges, the two tried to break down detainee resistance to facilitate confessions.
According to Mayer, Mitchell "cited the uses of Learned Helplessness" in his work. She later added that Air Force Reserve Colonel and experienced interrogator Steve Kleinman called Mitchell's deliberate use of learned helplessness in interrogations "morally, legally and tactically wrong."
One of the most notorious detainees allegedly interrogated using Seligman's research as interpreted by Mitchell's team was al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, Mayer wrote. After being captured in Pakistan, Zubaydah was transported to the Guantanamo Bay military prison, where he was interrogated by U.S. forces.
In her book, Mayer quotes sources who said that Mitchell wanted the prisoner treated like a "dog in a cage." U.S. interrogators, who have since come under fire for their treatment of Zubaydah, used techniques like waterboarding to elicit confessions from him.
"Zubaydah's treatment set the precedent for the abuse of U.S. held prisoners," Mayer writes.
Mitchell, through a lawyer, has disputed the role that Seligman's work played in developing interrogation techniques.
Both Mitchell and Jessen were present at Seligman's lecture, which, Seligman wrote, was attended by about 50 people and lasted about three hours.
There, he says he was told that as a "civilian with no security clearance they could not discuss American methods of interrogation with me." He added that he has "not had contact with SERE since that meeting."
Mayer's book implies that Seligman's speech and prior published work played a large role in Mitchell and Jessen's development of torture techniques. Using Seligman's work, the book alleges, the two tried to break down detainee resistance to facilitate confessions.
According to Mayer, Mitchell "cited the uses of Learned Helplessness" in his work. She later added that Air Force Reserve Colonel and experienced interrogator Steve Kleinman called Mitchell's deliberate use of learned helplessness in interrogations "morally, legally and tactically wrong."
One of the most notorious detainees allegedly interrogated using Seligman's research as interpreted by Mitchell's team was al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, Mayer wrote. After being captured in Pakistan, Zubaydah was transported to the Guantanamo Bay military prison, where he was interrogated by U.S. forces.
In her book, Mayer quotes sources who said that Mitchell wanted the prisoner treated like a "dog in a cage." U.S. interrogators, who have since come under fire for their treatment of Zubaydah, used techniques like waterboarding to elicit confessions from him.
"Zubaydah's treatment set the precedent for the abuse of U.S. held prisoners," Mayer writes.
Mitchell, through a lawyer, has disputed the role that Seligman's work played in developing interrogation techniques.
Viewing Comments 1 - 8 of 11
Steve Real
posted 7/17/08 @ 10:11 AM EST
You know what I think
about this administration running
around the law , the courts, and the judges?
Sieg Heil !
Sieg Heil !
Sieg Heil !
Where's my damn brown shirt 'W?
Mark Seligman is a sicko!
You are sick and twisted!
Is this what you want to teach your kids?
You f-ing wierdo!
Alum 06
posted 7/17/08 @ 10:12 AM EST
Finally a Penn professor does something useful and the DP gets all liberal about it.
OLIVE GROVE BOOKS
posted 7/17/08 @ 10:17 AM EST
Doesn't the jpeg below look strikingly similar to what the U.S. did to that re-entering satellite several months ago? (See jpeg at borders.com or barnesandnoble. (Continued…)
Linda Johnson
posted 7/17/08 @ 2:21 PM EST
"The father of a Summer Pennsylvanian news editor"
Seriously? Great journalism here.
Lemonade Diet
posted 7/17/08 @ 5:12 PM EST
As far as Professor Seligman being against torture, he went through some inner turmoil about torturing animals for his research on helplessness. He only decided to do it because the research could help millions of people. (Continued…)
Lemonade Diet
posted 7/18/08 @ 2:19 AM EST
As far as his research being used against the terrorists, that is how research is. For example because the U.S.A. researched and created nuclear bombs, Iran has been exploding nuclear bombs. (Continued…)
Lemonade Diet
posted 7/21/08 @ 12:18 AM EST
Did you tell that last story correctly? How does one shoot oneself in the head and then shoot one's wife "next"?
I ended with a joke that I think is funny. (Continued…)
KM
posted 7/21/08 @ 7:52 PM EST
The CIA taught torture techniques to US puppet states long before Seligman did his research. It is preposturous for someone like McCain to claim torture when he came back without needing a wheelchair. (Continued…)
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