From “Prof Jiang Media”
After the September 11 attacks, the United States launched an aggressive global campaign against terrorism. Under officials such as Donald Rumsfeld, suspected militants were captured and detained in facilities including Abu Ghraib prison. When images of prisoner abuse surfaced through CBS News in 2004, the world saw disturbing evidence of what the government called “enhanced interrogation techniques.” The scandal raised urgent questions about how far a nation would go in the name of security.
Investigations later suggested that these practices were influenced by psychological theories such as “learned helplessness,” associated with psychologist Martin Seligman. Journalists like Jane Mayer, in her book The Dark Side, documented how fear after 9/11 pushed policymakers toward controversial interrogation methods. Critics argue that such practices not only damaged America’s global reputation but may also have fueled further radicalization, illustrating the dangerous cycle that can emerge when security policy crosses ethical boundaries.