As a patriot who fought and
sacrificed for our country, I ask all Americans to stand up for what
is civil, humane and right. If we don't demand accountability for
the crimes that were committed in our name, then we as a nation will
have effectively institutionalized the torture of the last eight
years. Let's keep the promise for ourselves and all humanity, the
promise that is our United States of America.
- Phillip Butler (8 Years as a POW)
United States Naval Academy graduate
and Veterans for Peace member, Dr. Phillip Butler, said today that
"civil liberties and human rights organizations around the country
are calling for accountability for torture. I'm amazed and
profoundly disappointed that this has apparently become necessary in
our country." Upon his graduation from the United
States Naval Academy in 1961, Dr. Butler served 20 years as an active
duty commissioned officer in the United States Navy. As a naval
aviator he was shot down over North Vietnam and for almost eight
years was incarcerated as a prisoner of war. During his distinguished
career he was awarded two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merits, two
Bronze Stars and two Purple Heart medals.
Remembering those horrific years as a
POW, Dr. Butler said the he "and more than 90 percent of my fellow
POWs were repeatedly tortured for the extortion of information to be
used for political propaganda and sometimes just for retribution.
Because the Vietnamese had not yet formally recognized any
international treaties on treatment of prisoners - including the
Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War or
the United Nations' Convention Against Torture - we were not
treated as POWs, but instead pronounced 'criminals.'" During his captivity as a POW, Dr.
Butler and his fellow POW's, he said, "were regularly subject to
torture, harassment, malnutrition, isolation, lack of medical care,
and other degradations during our captivity. I was tortured dozens of
times during my captivity. I often thought of our Constitution and
the higher purpose we served - a purpose that helped me resist
beyond what I thought I'd ever be capable of. Ironically, we POWs
received great moral and psychological strength during our
incarceration, telling each other, 'Our country is civilized and
would never knowingly treat people like this. Our country would never
stoop to torture and the low level of treatment we were experiencing
at the hands of our captors.'" Speaking with pride, Dr. Butler said,
"we felt we had the moral high ground and took great pride in being
American, above such barbarity. Besides, we all knew from experience
that torture is useless, because under torture we told our tormentors
whatever we thought they wanted to hear. Whenever possible, we
slipped in ridiculous statements like one I used in a
torture-extracted 'confession,' that "only officers are allowed
to use the swimming pool on the USS Midway.' Another friend wrote in
a 'confession' that 'my commanding officer, Dick Tracy, ordered me to
bomb schools and hospitals.' These are just two examples of the kind
of culturally embedded nonsense people can expect to extract through
torture." Given Dr. Butler's experiences, as well
as the current political debate over "enhanced interrogation
techniques," and "stress positions" as not
constituting torture, he says "if you don't think so, try going
out on your driveway or sidewalk, without any clothes on, on a
frigidly cold night. Kneel down on the concrete, holding your body
erect with your arms extended above your head. In a very few minutes
you will begin to feel real pain. Imagine several menacing tormentors
hovering above you to ensure that you remain in that position. That's
torture." Addressing another popular argument
being advance by those supporting the use of such techniques by the
United States, Dr. Butler said that "argument attempts to qualify
captives as POWs, or 'detainees' or, as the Bush administration
referred to the detainees, 'enemy combatants.' Please - they are
human beings. We are holding people in indeterminate isolation from
families, Red Cross visits and requirements under international law
and the Geneva Convention. From experience, I say this constitutes
torture of the heart and soul." Dr. Butler addressed what he views as
another nonsensical argument used by some to justify torture
"what if we have someone who has planted an atomic weapon in a
major city and we want to find out where in time to stop it? ... Do
we enact a special law that violates our Constitution, treaties and
statutes for this preposterous eventuality? Do we seriously think we
could extract 'where and when' from this individual anyway?" Based upon his honorable service to
this country, including almost eight years as a POW, Dr. Butler
refuses to remain a silent participant in the public debate over
these issues. "Will the American public demand that President
Obama live up to his stated promise that 'no one is above the law?'
Will we hold the new administration to the Constitution, treaties and
other statutes prohibiting such cruel and unusual punishments and
demand accountability for the shameful legacy of torture that has
tarnished America's reputation over the last eight years?" said
Dr. Butler.
1 | 2
