It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Music in psychological operations is the use of music by military or police forces. The term music torture is sometimes used by critics of the practice of playing loud music incessantly to prisoners, or those being interrogated. The UN and the European Court of Human Rights have banned the use of loud music in interrogations, but it is still being widely used. Though the term "torture" is used, the playing of music to prisoners has never been judged to meet the legal definition of torture as stated within the United States Code. While the practice is viewed as causing discomfort, it has also been characterized by American experts in interrogation as causing no "long term effects." The qualification "long term effects" as requisite of the definition of torture is, contrary to what has been suggested, neither part of the U.S. penal code, nor part of the U.N. Convention Against Torture and therefore not a reason to dismiss allegations of torture.
Instances of use * It is currently being used by the United States 361st Psychological Operations Company, a unit dedicated to discovering new ways in which to interrogate effectively.
* A BBC News report claimed that music by band Metallica, and from children's TV programs Barney and Sesame Street, was being used to cause sleep deprivation and culturally offend the prisoners.
* According to Sergeant Mark Hadsell: "These people haven't heard heavy metal. They can't take it. If you play it for 24 hours, your brain and body functions start to slide, your train of thought slows down and your will is broken. That's when we come in and talk to them."
 Other instances
* Bombardment with loud music has been known to have been used in other occasions Manuel Noriega "When the United States invaded Panama in December 1989, Noriega took refuge in the Holy See’s embassy which was immediately surrounded by U.S. troops. After being continually bombarded by hard rock music and “The Howard Stern Show” for several days, Noriega surrendered on Jan. 3, 1990."
According to the FBI: "W[itness] observed sleep deprivation interviews w/strobe lights and loud music. Interrogator said it would take 4 days to break someone doing an interrogation 16 hrs w/lights and music on and 4 hrs off. Handwritten note next to typed synopsis says "ok under DoD policy". "Rumors that interrogator bragged about doing lap dance on d[etainee], another about making d[etainee] listen to satanic black metal music for hours then dressing as a Priest and baptizing d[etainee] to save him - handwritten note says 'yes'." "W[itness] saw d[etainee] in interview room sitting on floor w/Israeli flag draped around him, loud music and strobe lights. W suspects this practice is used by DOD DHS based on who he saw in the hallway." The Washington Post, quoting a leaked Red Cross report, wrote:
"The physical tactics noted by the Red Cross included placing detainees in extremely cold rooms with loud music blaring, and forcing them to kneel for long periods of time, the source familiar with the report said."
According to Amnesty International: "Detainees have reported being routinely subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment during arrest and detention. Many have told Amnesty International that they were tortured and ill-treated by US and UK troops during interrogation. Methods often reported include prolonged sleep deprivation; beatings; prolonged restraint in painful positions, sometimes combined with exposure to loud music; prolonged hooding; and exposure to bright lights. Virtually none of the allegations of torture or ill-treatment has been adequately investigated by the authorities."
On January 12, 1998 the Supreme Court of Israel declined to ban the use of loud music as an interrogation technique.
“Guantanamo is known around the world as one of the places where human beings have been tortured,” Morello said in a statement released by the campaign, charging that some inmates had been subjected to loud music for 72 hours in a row.
“Guantanamo may be Dick Cheney’s idea of America, but it’s not mine,” he added. “The fact that music I helped create was used in crimes against humanity sickens me — we need to end torture and close Guantanamo now.”
here the lyrics are given a political meaning. it is about how george bush would like to get the people of america to stay out of any political business and to let him act like he pleases since he cannot defend or justify his actions anyway - because they are firstly simply not right and therefore unjustifiable and secondly because mr bush's ability to express himself is more than clumsy.
mr bush is the father singing to his son, the people of amrica. "step away from the window/go back to sleep" means don't look at what is going on outside. it is not your concern. mind your own business and go back to sleep. sleep is here seen as a state of unawareness.
the government declares this attitude to be right and necesarry to protect the people of their enemies, trheir demons and of the voice of reason, the voice that tells the truth about mr bush's highly questionable decisions.