Music torture in the war on terror

<a href="/facts/Music_in_psychological_operations/yew0UTQM">Music was used to torture</a> detainees held by the United States during the <a href="/facts/War_on_terror/CTGl4eto">war on terror</a>. Usually, interrogates opted to use <a href="/facts/Heavy_metal_music/WsIPhM9e">heavy metal</a>, <a href="/facts/Country_music/UJM3Un98">country</a>, and <a href="/facts/Rapping/I61JCune">rap</a> music, although music from <a href="/facts/Children%2527s_television_series/IIudw8LF">children's TV shows</a> was also used. The practice was widespread and officially approved, being used in <a href="/facts/Guantanamo_Bay_detention_camp/VhKvUdIk">Guantanamo Bay detention camp</a>, <a href="/facts/Camp_Cropper/vmWzAwCe">Camp Cropper</a>, and several other American detainee camps.
Music as an instrument of torture originated in psychological research from the 1950s, and the tactic was officially approved by several prominent <a href="/facts/US_Army/WACWBEK9">US Army</a> officials. Music was used to make detainees feel hopeless and make them cooperate with interrogators, and it was sometimes combined with other abusive practices like <a href="/facts/Stress_positions/ynwNCDdh">stress positions</a> and temperature manipulation. Music has been used against several notable detainees, including <a href="/facts/Mohammed_al-Qahtani/r4VApWLz">Mohammed al-Qahtani</a>, <a href="/facts/Mohamedou_Ould_Slahi/ImI6DL7g">Mohamedou Ould Slahi</a>, <a href="/facts/Shaker_Aamer/h0qzGcFf">Shaker Aamer</a>, <a href="/facts/Ruhal_Ahmed/eMzBc5Ph">Ruhal Ahmed</a>, <a href="/facts/Shafiq_Rasul/7kI0WS8N">Shafiq Rasul</a>, <a href="/facts/Binyam_Mohamed/EQzkCsVq">Binyam Mohamed</a>, <a href="/facts/Donald_Vance/hypkMk0X">Donald Vance</a>, <a href="/facts/Abu_Zubaydah/0PAQn7Rm">Abu Zubaydah</a>, and <a href="/facts/Moazzam_Begg/4zht3Wwm">Moazzam Begg</a>.
The <a href="/facts/ACLU/yDxr2A43">ACLU</a>, along with several journalists and <a href="/facts/Musicology/jaapApYh">musicology</a> organizations, denounced the use of music to torture. According to <a href="/facts/Moustafa_Bayoumi/0mUGrlEB">Moustafa Bayoumi</a>, the reaction among the American public was often one of amusement. Several artists, such as <a href="/facts/Tom_Morello/AyXJju9a">Tom Morello</a> and <a href="/facts/Skinny_Puppy/bo8ytIdU">Skinny Puppy</a>, also denounced music torture, with some joining the <a href="/facts/National_Security_Archive/yYYJIkIk">National Security Archive</a> in filing a <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_Information_Act_(United_States)/UJDH2dmI">Freedom of Information Act</a> request regarding the music used at Guantanamo Bay. The recording industry has stayed relatively silent on the issue, and several artists, such as <a href="/facts/Steve_Asheim/Tr3cPzLA">Steve Asheim</a> and <a href="/facts/James_Hetfield/J3lDUs55">James Hetfield</a>, have come out in support of the practice.

Music torture in the war on terror open-in-new

Music torture in the war on terror