Federal complaint: Gitmo was "Animal House." Oh, and there are photos

lambert's picture

Does this remind anybody of anything?

The first full-time female FBI agent to be stationed at Guantanamo says she was made to bunk with vermin that gave her a tropical disease and was ostracized because she refused to join in a "spring break" atmosphere in which agents were encouraged to drink, date, and frolic when not interrogating alleged terrorists. She says FBI agents attended parties dressed in "mocking imitation of Arab or Afghan attire" and in orange detainee jumpsuits. And she says she has photos to prove it.

Theresa A. Foley, 43, requested a transfer to Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay in 2003, and says that from the moment she arrived she found a "generally sexist, discriminatory and 'boys club' atmosphere" at the island prison. ...

In her claim against Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice, Foley says she has photographs depicting "personnel at Guantanamo engaged in drunken carousing in a sexually charged atmosphere, day and night," including shots of "female employees in bathing suits or revealing attire sitting on the laps of male employees, and female employees being hugged, kissed and likely groped by male employees."

Her complaint states: "Other photographs reveal, among other things, what appear to be intoxicated FBI employees wearing some type of mocking imitation of Arab or Afghan attire, and personnel at a Halloween party dressed in orange detainee jumpsuits (apparently as a joke). Still other employees appear to be completely intoxicated and engaged in various activities which indicate both a pervasive discriminatory atmosphere toward women, as well as behavior inappropriate for employees stationed at a detention facility for terrorists. Some of the behavior resembles stereotypical 'spring break' behavior. This highly inappropriate behavior by FBI personnel and other U.S. Government personnel working at Guantanamo, was known by the FBI, was encouraged by the FBI, and was tolerated by the FBI."

She adds, "This pervasive sexually discriminatory and harassing atmosphere was at such an extreme, that it is accurate to describe the prevalent atmosphere as an 'animal house' atmosphere. When FBI agents were not busy interrogating terrorists held at Guantanamo, they were expected and encouraged by their managers and supervisors to be sun bathing, snorkeling, fishing, drinking, carousing and engaging in romantic relationships with each other. Over the course of her stay at Guantanamo, once it became clear that SA Foley did not believe this conduct was appropriate for an FBI Special Agent, and refused to engage in this conduct, SA Foley was ostracized and maligned."

Foley says she was sexually harassed by male FBI agents, called a lesbian, and told that her "nipples were leaking."

So, what did that remind you of? the easy answer is Abu Ghraib. Then again:

nazis-at-a-recreation-lodge-near-auschwitz
SS staff relax at a recreation lodge near Auschwitz.

These forms of evil seem to transcend political systems; see the Stanford Prison Experiment. Richard Evan's books on the Third Reich, IIRC -- I do not have them to hand, unfortunately -- detail much the same kinds of holiday atmosphere at Auschwitz and other concentration camps; eros sunk in thanatos. Sadly, now that the Obama administration has successfully legitimized the Bush policies of lawbreaking and torture, we can expect more such behavior here. When "justified" by authority. (Cf Hosea 8:7)

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basement angel's picture

What an interesting post, Lambert.

I had never read that about Nazi Germany. It makes sense.

"Someone needs to point out that elephants produce infinitely more shit than donkeys." Brad Mays

lambert's picture

Read Richard Evans's three books

They are all superb; he's a real scholar. They show a great country, and a big part of Western civilization and culture, going very very bad. Of course it can happen here; it's human nature.

First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Mahatma Gandhi

Davidson's picture

FBI: Entourage!

To read that such blatant bigotry was encouraged by the FBI is just depressing (If bigotry is encouraged, you know hate crimes will be inevitable). I know I should be a total cynic now, but I'm not. The woman suffered actual injuries from what the FBI Special Agents (!) did to her. And these are the cream of the crop (I love how you can't have ever defaulted on a Federal loan when applying to the FBI, but rampant intolerance and hatred is acceptable).

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