Vanity Fair Exposes How Two Psychologists Shaped the CIA's Torture Methods

The story behind these interrogation techniques is the subject of an expose titled "Rorschach and Awe" by investigative journalist Katherine Eban that was published on vanityfair.com. Eban unravels the central role of two CIA-contracted psychologists in designing these tactics for use on detainees held in secret CIA prisons around the world. Her article is the latest in a series of revelations linking psychologists to US military and CIA interrogations of prisoners of the so-called "war on terror."

Although the two psychologists contracted by the CIA are not members of the American Psychological Association, many psychologists continue to voice grave concern over the APA's equivocation. In an open letter last month, leading psychologists urged the president of the APA to reverse its "years-long policy of condoning and encouraging psychologist participation in interrogations."

Today we spend the hour on the explosive issue of psychologists and their role in America's continuing use of so-called "enhanced" interrogation techniques that the International Committee of the Red Cross calls "tantamount to torture." The pressure for a moratorium is mounting, with a vote expected in several weeks at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Francisco.

• Katherine Eban, Investigative reporter and writer for several national publications. Her latest article is "Rorschach and Awe" published exclusively on vanityfair.com.

• Brad Olson, Assistant Research Professor at Northwestern University. He is a founding member of the Coalition for an Ethical APA and is also the Chair of Divisions for Social Justice, a collaboration of 13 APA divisions promoting a greater emphasis on social justice in the field of psychology.

"The Task Force Report Should Be Annulled" - Member of 2005 APA Task Force on Psychologist Participation in Military Interrogations Speaks Out