waterboarding and sleep deprivation

I am planning on being in the 4th of July parade when I go home for leave next month. This is an attempt on my part to reach out to the civilian world and teach them something (anything!) about what the military does, to try and bridge the growing military-civilian gap.

I was talking with Colleen yesterday (and Christine before that), and said that what I would really like to do is set up a tent next to the Revolutionary War reenactor's camp that my town sometimes has for the 4th of July and demonstrate waterboarding. She asked me, "What's waterboarding?"

Waterboarding is an interrogation technique where the target is strapped down to something hard (the board) so they can't move their arms and legs and water is poured on their face to simulate the sensation of drowning. (Water+board=waterboarding) Needless to say, if the local police station did this to get a confession out of someone, I would hope large numbers people would protest this and demand the release of the alleged criminal. As well, any confession obtained in such a way would be unusable in a U.S. court, which is part of the reason the government is currently having so many problems prosecuting the few people in Gitmo that have been charged. We (the U.S.) has used waterboarding extensively since 9/11, and I would guess we are still using it now.

We have also used sleep deprivation, which I mentioned to Colleen as well. She asked what you do to keep someone awake when they are really tired. One method I have heard is that you get them to stand on something wobbly (a collection of beer bottles with a trash can lid on top, for example) and then use wires to tie their thumbs to the ceiling so if they fall off it hurts. Then they stand there all night trying to balance. If the thumbs don't provide them enough incentive, use the testicles. I've also heard of simply using a periodic electric shock to keep people awake.

I'm am not certain if these particular sleep deprivation techniques have been used, but some method of sleep deprivation has been used, and would likewise be unusable in a U.S. court.

I have also read that we have tried to justify torturing a terror suspects children in order to get a confession or further information. Don't know if this has every been done though.

It appalls me that the American people have no idea the things we do on their behalf.