O'Reilly's Gitmo Torture Denials Termed 'Delusional'

Bill O'Reilly doesn't believe that any prisoners have been mistreated at Guantanamo Bay, because he visited the place twice, thanks to his "good contacts," and he didn't see anything. Because that's what happens at Gitmo! Journalists are always creeping up on the place unseen to make unannounced visits and what not, right?

No. Of course not. As Brave New Films points out, the U.S. Government copped to torturing prisoners at Gitmo all the way back in 2005! The Red Cross documented torture at Gitmo back in 2004! And about two years ago, it was disclosed that the FBI knew about the torture as well.

Still, it's awfully funny to see just who gets officially tagged as "delusional" where Guantanamo Bay is concerned. And by "awfully funny," I mean "awfully awful." Check out this story, brought to my attention by the blog 1115.org. It's the incredibly true tale of Lieutenant Colonel David Vandeveld. He was given the task of prosecuting the Gitmo inmates and he was fired up to do so. "I was a true believer," he said. Then he got to Gitmo. He saw the evidence of torture for himself, and he uncovered instances where exculpatory evidence had been ignored. What he saw shook him to the core of his religious beliefs, so he reached out to a Jesuit priest (who the BCC redundantly identifies as a "peace activist" -- ALL JESUITS ARE PEACE ACTIVISTS) named Father John Dear. [Watch video, here.]

Of course, 1115.org's Sarabeth sums up the salient point, with regard to O'Reilly's "delusions":

Now here's what I consider to be the punchline of the BBC article:

Col Vandeveld was forced to undergo a mental status evaluation after expressing his concerns and his military career is over.

According to Bush's military, if you object to torture and to withholding exculpatory evidence from defense lawyers, you need to have your head examined.

Here's a simple question. Who's the real head-case? The soldier with the active moral compass, or the ignorant millionaire infotainer?

Comments

[AdamAnt12]

10:38 AM on 12/07/2008

I think that the US did what it had to do. Making human pyramids and putting women's panties on a suspected t e r r o r i s t ' s head in not tortue. Too MUCH has been made over this. It is merely another trick the progressives can pull out of their little black bags to use against the republicans and conservatives. Wake up, before it is too late...

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

10:46 AM on 12/07/2008

Wow...I bet you're correct. I'm sure in the manual for the treatment of prisoners of war, it has a special chapter for putting women panties on someone's head, and making pyramids out of nude prisoners. It also mentions, I'm sure, putting foreign objects up peoples' anuses and attaching electrodes to their genitals. Would you define these as torture if they were done to you or someone in your family. Say...your child?

[4funofit]

02:18 PM on 12/07/2008

he would only object if he were not friends with Larry Craig.

[ydouask]

02:37 PM on 12/08/2008

It is your opinion that, "...the US did what it had to do..." So the US had to suspend prisoners rights to even know why they were/are being held prisoner in the first place? And the US had to use humiliation techniques as well as physical torture on them? I think you haven't really given this issue any real thought.

[Mark2100]

10:02 AM on 12/07/2008

He can't even utter Keith Olbermann's name out loud. He is a coward. Nothing more, nothing less.

[BlackYowe]

03:31 AM on 12/07/2008

Bill does not say what he really believes he is an old fashioned rabble rouser of the first order. He will say anything to further his cause. Don't look to someone of this base nature to ever tell the truth or give an inch.

[bubbuh]

06:09 AM on 12/07/2008

O'Reilly has no beliefs....well, he does believe he has the original King Kong Ding Dong. According to those forced to examine his claim, he is indisputably delusional.

[glaze]

09:32 PM on 12/06/2008

OKAY- For what it's worth-
another seemingly contradictory thing about BO- Lately, he's hawking some sort of autobiography, (you know the one- with the crappy cover graphics, stupid title and hokey pic of B.O. Altarboy awaiting the Monsignor's next instructions)...
So here he is, MISTER CATHOLIC... And yet here he is too, over here... Not even trusting the word of one of the Church's Own Select Commandos, a JESUIT! And BO doesn't trust him just because BO D I D N ' T eyewitness something that would, if proven true, contradict what he had already closed his mind about...
Sorry, I apologize- try as I might, I am continually astounded by- and cannot resist commenting on- someone who trusts nothing but his own ignorance.

[davidean2]

07:33 PM on 12/06/2008

You know what is the most scary thing about this man? He has a child......yeah just like members do in the KUKLUX CLAN. The kid is going to grow up in a world ....well can you imagine THIS THING as your father? I am serious!!!

[rabiddog6708]

05:57 PM on 12/06/2008

If Bill-O didn't see it, it couldn't have happened....at least in his world....which is a dark and scary place. Why does this gas bag keep polluting the planet with his hot air?

[sociocanuck]

05:10 PM on 12/06/2008

O'Reilly wouldn't recognize reality if... well... he just doesn't, unless it serves his purposes alone.

[blackeyedangel]

02:03 PM on 12/06/2008

I am totally for torturing O'Reilly.... but he might like it, so maybe not.

[janinei]

01:38 PM on 12/06/2008

Sounds like Catch-22, Col Vandeveld

[realpolitic]

01:24 PM on 12/06/2008

"Captives at Guantánamo Bay were chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor for 18 hours or more, urinating and defecating on themselves, an FBI report has revealed." The FBI then pulled out of Guantanamo and wanted nothing to do with such tactics. When this FBI memo was brought to O'Reilly's attention he casually brushed it aside saying he would not believe it until those who wrote it appeared on his show. So I guess the FBI document has no authenticity until the writers report directly to O'Reilly. Perhaps Abu Gharib did not happen either because those who uncovered it did not report to O'Reilly? It is an interesting take on history to say the least.

[motoGpifupleez]

12:44 PM on 12/06/2008

Bill O'Reilly speaks to a very specific audience. They just had a traumatic, life altering event thrown down on them November 4th. He's like their Prozac. He's their warm blanket of denial. Even Rethuglicans need a "Happy Place to go to every now and then.

[realpolitic]

01:25 PM on 12/06/2008

Yes, a "happy place" full of hate and full information.

[realpolitic]

01:30 PM on 12/06/2008

...and "false" information.

[clamperken]

12:25 PM on 12/06/2008

Just as Bush and his cronies, O'Reilemup uses lies and false information to discredit thier critics. Even in the face of hard evidence, they simply deny, deny, deny! The rebugs' motto ought to be "You lie about it and I'll swear to it."

[Lahonda]

12:13 PM on 12/06/2008

Liar - he's totally lucent and well aware that he's simply spouting ideology. Had he toured the WW II death camps, he would have marveled at how well disciplined and organized everyone was.

God bless him, no one else will.

[DCinFrance]

10:20 AM on 12/06/2008

He's not delusional...he laughs all the way to the bank.

[surfcitysteven]

10:44 AM on 12/06/2008

Having a padded bank account does not exclude one from delusional behavior. Howard Hughes probably laughed all the way to the bank.

[bronceye]

10:02 AM on 12/06/2008

Delusional/Oh'reilly kinda like peas/carrots.