Professor Marjorie Cohn, editor and co-author of The United States and Torture: Interrogation, Incarceration, and Abuse talks to Amanda Bronstad at The National Law Journal about her new book's relevance in light of the recent events in Egypt:"This was in effect a military coup motivated by the popular protest by people in the streets. The military's now in charge. They have disbanded Parliament and the Constitution, but they have not lifted the state of emergency, and the state of emergency, which has been in effect for 30 years, has been the excuse for secret police to arrest people without any charges, detain them and torture them. Most of the torture is committed by the secret police. But The Guardian reported that the Egyptian military, since the protests started, secretly detained hundreds and possibly thousands of suspected government opponents since mass protests began, and at least some of these have been tortured. Keep in mind the military has been the backbone for this oppressive regime for 30 years, and they've been a central pillar of this police state...
the U.S. is continuing to fund the government there, which is really a military government. It is the vast amount of money the U.S. government has sent to Egypt all these years that has enabled Mubarak to rule with a fist of terror. And the U.S. government continues to support other vicious dictators around the world, including several in the Middle East.
