(2004-08-25) — The much-anticipated Abu Ghraib prison abuse report from a four-member panel headed by James M. Schlesinger includes a copy of a secret memo from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld regarding approved interrogation techniques and the general “atmosphere” at U.S. military prisons.
The memo, sure to spark new bipartisan calls for Mr. Rumsfeld’s resignation, was summarized by one unnamed aide to the panel as follows: “Go wild and capture the memories.”
“We at the Pentagon know that you’re understaffed there at Abu Ghraib,” wrote Mr. Rumsfeld. “So, make sure you give your interrogators enough free time when they can just be themselves and have fun. This helps avoid burnout.”
Among the interrogation instructions, the Rumsfeld memo contained the following passage: “The best way to get valid information from the enemy is to create an atmosphere of trust in the cellblock. This can be achieved by introducing them to your pets, and playing group ‘get to know you’ games in which the normal human facade is stripped off and the prisoners get to see each other for who they really are. Follow this with team-building exercises, where the prisoners perform a challenging feat together-like building a pyramid. This lets them know that we respect their abilities and their culture and we aren’t trying to isolate them from each other.”
Mr. Rumsfeld ends the memo by authorizing the purchase of several digital cameras for prison staff.
“Make sure you all take plenty of photos,” he wrote. “You’ll want to remember and celebrate these precious moments as you serve your nation with valor.”
