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u.s. war crimes: torture as official bush administration policy101That these training techniques involve torture cannot be doubted. Onegraduate of such survival training describes being waterboarded as “realdrowning that simulates death.” 50 He continued,The questions (What is your unit? Where are you from?) were asked by oneman. But we were not supposed to talk. I remember that the blindfold washeavy and completely covered my face. As the two men held me down, oneon each side, someone began pouring water onto the blindfold, and suddenlyI was drowning. The water streamed into my nose and then into my mouthwhen I gasped for breath. I couldn’t stop it. All I could breathe was water, andit was terrifying. I think I began to lose consciousness. I felt my lungs beginto fill with burning liquid.Pulling out my fingernails or even cutting off a finger would have been preferable.At least if someone had attacked my hands, I would have had to simplytolerate pain. But drowning is another matter. 51One more case serves to demonstrate that the United States uses torture asa matter of official policy—the case of Dan Mitrione, who brought wholesalecruelty to Latin America. Mitrione was an Indiana police chief who becamea police advisor for a CIA front organization; his role was “to teach interrogationmethods . . . [which] included instructions in torture” first in theDominican Republic, then Brazil, and finally Uruguay, where he was murderedby Tupamaro guerrillas. 52 Mitrione, who sought to “professionalize” 53and make torture “scientific,” 54 apparently tortured to death innocent beggarsduring his classroom teaching sessions. 55 His philosophy of interrogation isa chilling reminder of just how far some people will go:When you receive a subject, the first thing to do is to determine his physicalstate, his degree of resistance, through a medical examination. A prematuredeath means a failure by the technician.Another important thing to know is exactly how far you can go given thepolitical situation and the personality of the prisoner. It is very important toknow beforehand whether we have the luxury of letting the subject die. . .Before all else, you must be efficient. You must cause only the damagethat is strictly necessary, not a bit more. We must control our tempers inany case. You have to act with efficiency and cleanliness of a surgeon andthe perfection of an artist. 56Mitrione introduced electrified needles manufactured by the CIA andimported in diplomatic pouches. These needles varied in thicknesses andcould be inserted in a victim’s fingernails and even between teeth. 57 Americanagents trained the dreaded Iranian Savak to the torturers of the Philippinemilitary. There is a direct line from American practices in the past to AbuGhraib and Guantanamo.