America's Disappeared: Secret Imprisonment, Detainees, and the War on Terror

By Reed Brody and Barbara Olshansky

Book Overview

The confirmation proceedings for Alberto R. Gonzales and Condeleeza Rice, like the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, triggered a national debate about the U.S. government's controversial treatment of detainees and its practice of torture. At the heart of the debate is the question- Is the United States undermining democracy, freedom, and human rights in it's effort to protect its citizens from terrorism? The authors of AMERICA'S DISAPPEARED answer, yes. AMERICA'S DISAPPEARED describes how the U.S. government, in response to the events of 9/11, launched an unprecedented campaign of racial profiling, detentions, and deportations so grievous as to evoke the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. It brings together, for the first time, detainees' own testimonies along with analysis by the leading constitutional attorneys and human rights advocates. In addition to a detailed exploration of detention-the forms currently in use, and the conditions of each-the book challenges the Bush administration's justifications for violating the Geneva Conventions and the most basic definitions of human rights.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1583226451
• ISBN13: 9781583226452
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Seven Stories Press
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

An important book about criminal conduct by our government.

This is an important book about the insane, inhumane, immoral, and illegal treatment that some Americans gave to people whom they wrongly considered as terrorist suspects. To read the sworn statements of some of the victims of these injustices, filled me with utter contempt for the perpetrators of these government crimes. The movie, "Rendition," starring Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, and Alan Arkin, also illustrates some of the treatment described in this book. If you watch that DVD, one of the bonus features consists of a 30 minute interview with one of the victims wherein he relates his personal experience. Thanks to Rachel Meeropol, Barbara Olshansky, and the courageous folks at The Center for Constitutional Rights for their work in bringing these horrible activities to light. Long before any other group had the courage to speak out, CCR was standing up for the truth, and fighting the good fight. In a perfect world, the people responsible for committing these criminal acts of torture would be held accountable for their actions.