Psyche, Science, and Society

Valtin on the state of the APA struggle against psychologist participation in abusive interrogations

August 13th, 2007

Over at Daily Kos, Valtin summarizes the state of affairs in the American Psychological Association as the convention looms at the end of this week: Moment of Truth Arrives: APA & Participation in U.S. Torture.

The introductory paragraph:

On August 16, the American Psychological Association (APA) opens a five day convention in beautiful San Francisco. Behind the mise en scene of cable cars, wind-whipped fog, hot sourdough bread, and old Victorian gingerbread homes, a crucial political struggle is taking place over the future of coercive interrogation techniques and inhumane detention conducted by U.S. forces in the wrongly-named “war on terror”.

Valtin goes on to explain the deciding role that APA President Sharon Brehm will play as she decides whether to pull a parliamentary maneuver to prevent a resolution proposing a Moratorium on psychologist participation from coming to a vote. Brehm will decide within the week how she wants to be remembered when the history of psychologists and torture gets written.

Entry Filed under: APA, CIA, Guantanamo, Interrogation, Psychological Torture, Psychology, SERE, Torture, War Crimes