Download | Play 
Download | Play
On Monday, NBC aired a powerful episode of Law & Order SVU in which a murder investigation uncovers a plot that ends in the arrest and trial of an American doctor who worked as a torture adviser for a private company in Iraq. Thanks to the SVU team, the doctor has her medical license suspended, which eventually will ruin her career.
In a perfect world, we would be seeing these kinds of trials take place today, but for now we’ll just have to hold out hope that someone in power, who still possesses a conscience, will make it happen. NBC did a fantastic job of telling the truth about torture, its effects on its victims and casting shame on those who engage in it or condone it in any way. Major kudos to NBC for getting it right…
No Trackbacks To “NBC’s Law & Order SVU Takes On Iraq Contractors, Torture - And Gets It Right“
It was a riveting episode. Having Elizabeth McGovern play the doctor, and making her character seem so guilt-less in the first half-hour, was brilliant.
One note: it aired on Tuesday, not Monday.
The sad thing is all the crazy right-wingers this brought out of the woodwork on the NBC website…It’s really disturbing when you see some of the things they said.
The week before part of the episode was about the Patriot Act. The Feds were using it to block the interrogation of a rape suspect, and Novak (the DA) said, “The Patriot Act? That convoluted piece of legislation isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” You guys should put up that clip too.
Some of the GOP Candidates have their own LAW AND ORDER SCRIPT TO ‘KNOCK OFF’ FRED THOMPSON
Sounds like an okay episode.
But will they also ever do an episode where they go after some Islamic extremists, terrorists, or terror cells?
Just to add a little balance?
Sorry I missed the episode, but if anyone “got it right,” it was Dick Wolf Productions, not NBC. Let’s give a little credit where credit is due.
Very good. Glad the doctor got nailed at the end. Funny how TV imitates life especially in the Law and Order SVU episode. Cheers to Dick Wolf Productions.
give the people
what they understand
television shows
heh…
Too bad. NBC aired this episode of SVU just so it doesn’t have to up the ante on it’s news shows. The old “give it to them in a primetime fictional setting, so we don’t have to give it to them in real life” I am losing hope daily, but the article in the latest Mother Jones compares this next 2008 election to the time right before FDR became president and ushered in a era of democratic controlled government, so there is hope.
Well - this ought to have the effect of labeling the Producers and directors as traitors and left wing loonies. It seems nearly every thoughtful group is thinking clearly except our governing bodies.
How the hell do we stop this?
I am so glad they did this episode, as that they gave the reality of how stress positions and other techniques affect survivors for the rest of their lives.
My husband was a Vietnam vet and POW, who was tortured by his North Vietnames captors. He siffered from his injuries for over thirty years, until his fatal heart attack two years ago.
When he got back, he had to have all of his toenails removed three times, to try to get rid of the bamboo poisoning fromt heir attempts to extract information. It didn’t work he still had the infection when he died. He never got a full night’s sleep, for the rest of his life. His screams still haunt my sleep. There was never enough food in the house to fill the hole left by the deprivation he had suffered. Those are only some of the effects.
ALL AMERICANS need to stand up NOW and say:
NOT IN MY NAME!
NEVER IN MY NAME!
and KEEP saying it until the torture stops.
Torture is ALWAYS wrong, no matter who is doing it to whom.
For Dan,
Heather
A very powerful clip. The best quote was “you took the oath for times like these” That is absolutely right on the money! That’s righ doc, these are the times you took the oath for. Thanks NBC.
However, the guy that did the actual torture got out of the country and was assisted by the “mercenary” company that he worked for. The poor girl that got murdered, got little justice.
{deleted - you stumbled in, now stumble back out and stay out.]
Ahhh television ……… must be fantasy the great and all wonderful and powerful US wouldn’t do anything like this ……
How does it feel knowing that your tax dollars are not only paying for this to be done to innocent people (as you read this), but that some of the people doing it who are US citizens are enjoying it ? ………..
I think that was very well done in its attempt to be balanced, as it showed the passion on both sides of the argument.
The doctor is able to work without conscience because she passionately believes that her participation is invaluable in helping to gather intelligence. (But apparently she never has spoken to those who interrogated Nazis and gained information without resorting to such tactics.)
I greatly appreciate the information regarding stress positions, dropping of body temperature, and the potential for injury/death to those upon whom it is inflicted. But notice the doc said no to waterboarding. Who made the decision to approve that for the script, because I think we can fairly well assume that waterboarding was used. Nor did they mention dogs, humiliating sexual techniques, etc.
Some of the courtroom theatrics were ridiculous. The doctor would never have been allowed to speak for that long on the stand without being admonished by the judge, as this would be obviously a high profile trial. That explanation for her behavior would have been brought forth by her attorney, anyway, not in the manner as it was done.
The scene where victims of brutal interrogation speak of their experiences, was diminished by the overly dramatic, maudlin background music.
John Wison @ 9:
Seems our means to do so are fewer and fewer everday…soon there will be but one option available, and it won’t be pretty…
I hate to be so blunt but NBC is a unit of General Electric. One of the giants of the defense industry.
I missed that episode (Red Sox) and I look forward to seeing it. But the episode they did on “animal rights terrorists” could have been produced by FOX. It was so biased against rights activists, portraying the group as violent, murderous unthinking terrorists. Repulsive.
While I am not an animal rights activist, I both sympathize with, and admire their dedication. I truly believe they are more aware and enlightened about the creatures we share the earth with and the portrayal on Law and Order (one of my favorite shows, and I will welcome Fred back when he bombs out of the primaries) was outrageous.
CW @ 13:
Then you have just become no better than them. The issue here is that the enemy is being created to support the initial lie.
CW @ 13:
I am not and do not, I constantly turn down trips and work to the US, you couldn’t pay me to enter the place.
CW @ 13:
That’s how it is.
CW @ 13:
That would take people of courage to act, and in this whole mess the only people I’ve see do anything but talk are a few girls wearing pink.
CW @ 13:
The US administration would brand anyone of that level of courage a traitor.
RE: above post
By the way, I think the FBI pursues PETA and ELF because they are too afraid of taking on REAL terrorists.
Torture has long been deemed useless when extracting information. Just because I beat the shit out of you it is not guaranteed that you will tell me the truth.
I could spend hours beating the crap out of you, or simply waste 5 minutes until the truth serum kicks in. It is both, cheaper and far less messy… plus more reliable.
Torture however is a great idea for sadist. And there is where the real problem lies….
Dr. Who: Even the idea of using truth serum on a suspect gives me the serious hebbie-jeebies. I’m a firm believer of “you have the right to remain silent”.
Dr. Who @ 21:
And you will be hated for it and generate a “valid” revenge path.
Dr. Who @ 21:
Old school twats think it’s some kind of deterrent as well.
Fear causes the lowering to a level beneath greatness.
The difficult path is the high road….but worth the effort in the end.
OT, but worthy (IMHO):
Today in Bushistory:
2001: Busholini signed the USA Patriot Act
2006: Busholini signed a measure authiorizing 700 miles of new fencing along the US-Mexico border.
JerryM @ 19:
You are correct for the most part, in combat you have to kill just like the other guy. There is no “nice”, or “humane way” to do it. But what is this “initial lie” you refer too, and when did it happen? Was it before the recent invasion of Iraq? Maybe it was before 9-11, or the bombing of the USS Cole, or the Embassy bombings in Africa, or the 1st WTC bombing, or the bombing or the Marine barracks in Lebanon, or the taking of hostages in Iran, or the Munich bombings,… how far back should I go?
CW
USMC
Chacounne/Heather,
I am so sorry for what you and your husband endured.
Sinto @ 4:
Actually, I’m certain in the L&O pantheon they did… SVU is a special victims unit, you know rape and kidnapping… Sorry, you’re wanting the cartoon show of 24.
But I like your apples and oranges mewling attempt for balance (unless it was a snark.) Maybe they can have an utterly fantastic scenario. You know where the lead character cowardly drops all his and his country’s principles for false expedience because he magically has 4 out of the five pieces to some neocons greatest bedwetting nightmare/fantasy. The last part of the fantasy is where the lead gets away with it with a slap on the back.
Maybe you just want to see SVU actor Chris Molina torturing some 16 yo girl who might (but he doesn’t know for sure so this is just recreation) know where the bomb is because it’ll get your GWOT rocks off slothing on your sofa.
Cowards give up their principles in times of stress… unless they never had them in the first place. Then they are just trying to find the next weakest excuse to justify their already present perversions.
NBC will likely get cowardly pants-browning for this from those who think a terrorist lives under their bed or in their closets. Last season on ER they had another similiar instance where a young GI came in dope shopping to help him forget his experience as a detainee translator in Iraq.
hey CW, been there, done that got the medals and the shirt, go check out votevets.org, then come back, you’ll see that its more than just following orders,its about participating in the franchise decisions.
BTW, I could have sworn this episode came out like last year???
its not a new thing, it was on the Criminal intent franchise with d’orniforio
Dr. Acula @ 25:
2007: Busholini fails to recognize that border with Mexico is over 2100 miles long…
CW @ 26:
Two time congressional medal of honor recipient and jar head …
http://lexrex.com/enlightened/.....racket.htm
… the military has always been honest in saying that it is defending the american way of life. (Three percent of the world population consuming twenty five percent of the worlds resouces - do the math, its unsustainable) You need to consider what the ‘american way of life’ means.
The US was started by men standing on the shoulders of power and wealth - europe. No self made men there. Men of priviledge. Men that simply ‘took’ the bulk of an entire continent as if it were uninhabited or were inhabited by animals. Men that took large sections of the territories of sovereign nations. Men who took the national wealth and resources of other nations. The story hasnt changed. It continues - unabated.
How far back should you go?
… ALL THE WAY.
(unedited)
I loved this episode. I hope they conquer more issues like this this season
haha what happened to that old guy passing out?
CW @ 26:
Not my point at all, that is yours that you have to kill like a terrorist to beat one.
” I personally would do whatever it takes to bring down these terrorists!”
We’re your words, murder with out restraint or thought ……… that falls into “whatever” ……
CW @ 26:
Your argument and killing belief supposes the need to kill in the first place, your already half way down the road trying to justify your killing and hate by that of the others, pointless and very flawed, I can see why americans eat up the news about killing anyone they don’t like now.
CW @ 26:
That all the bad people are in Iraq (and now Iran) and that anyone who physically attempt to defend their own country from an invasion is an insurgent and should be tortured and killed.
CW @ 26:
You sound like a pathetic Fox reporter …… you can go back as far as you want as long as you list all that the US has done, how much blood it has on it’s hands and what it is guilty of as well …….
As a note, people generally ignore the basic objection to torture - which is two fold. 1) presumption of innocence, without which there is no defense against a government and 2) the value of human dignity, which the interogator would testify they have and swear their subject does not.
Them and Us thinking == perpetual war.
Science makes it clear that it is actually US and US, there are no Thems.
Whatsoever we do to the least of our bretheren……………….
Wow. The mainstream media doing responsible journalism? Heaven forbid anyone mentions U.S crimes in the middle east. The Iraq war is usually described as ‘a bad idea’, or ‘a tactical mistake’. The Bush Administration also wants to go into Iran: http://originalbanter.blogspot.....art-2.html
Very scary.
JerryM, you are generalizing. Most americans dont follow news. Most americans are two paychecks from disaster. From my perspective, I see the typical american as a victim - of a different kind - of the same group, not a supporter. About 25 percent are supporters (Or had you not considered what supreme court appointment of Bush in 2000 and stolen elections mean) Personally, I see Bush etc as serving their own interests and the interests of their class NOT the interests of the US. Etc includes all presidents since Reagan - ALL - a few before.
Since they say this will be the last year for SVU of Law and Order, I hope they have the courage to take on more issues like this. It is a shame. Years ago we would have seen ground breaking stuff. Where a reporter was not afraid of his job if he said anything true, but negative about a RULING administration.
Look at what rove’s dirt bag machine did to Dan Rather. Granted Rather rushed the program. If he had more evidence when he came forward they might not have been able to overcome it so quick.
I truly sit and almost cry when I see the piece of shit who stole the white house, twice. He is a disgrace especially to this country. One of the pictures posted on CNN of him standing with two victims looked exactly like the coward had on a bullet proof vest. Even after clearing the poor victims out for five or six miles the sick S.O.B. had to have on a vest. While President Clinton went into the crown, shook hands, gave hugs. AND HE STILL DOES. While this cowardly excuse for a human being cowers behind myraids of secret service and empty space. SEE WHY HE DIDN’T GO TO VIET NAM.
Law and Order has always been really relevant in regards to current events that are happening. I have loved watching the original Law and Order all the way through, because its like watching the news and current events throughout the years.
Yes, how far back shall we go? Let’s take the Revolutionary War, where the British were terrorizing us and shelling the hell out of our cities. George Washington admonished his troops not to harm or humiliate the captured British troops lest it brought shame on them and their country. And this was when the country could have been killed in infancy by a near empire. You mean like that founding father you threw out there?
Since you browned-pantsers like to make sad analogies between the GWOT and WWII, our interrogators of Nazi prisoners used mind games and gained their trust and got far more valuable intelligence out of them.
In the writings of Sir Francis Walsingham, advisor and then spymaster of Elizabeth I in England when Catholic plots raged against her and while preparing for the Spanish Armada to smash England, he wrote that torture was a useless tool.
Wow, they got it back then in the 1500’s the 1700’s and in the 20th century that torture was useless. So it begs the question: are those with the hard-on’s willing to toss there’s an their country’s principles out throw backs to the Dark Ages, stupid cowards so afraid they will implement anything even though it doesn’t work, OR LIKE THE IDEA OF TORTURING people.
I’m sorry for your loss Heather and the hell you and your husband was put through. I’d like to see people like CW and all the other pant-browners justify their cowardice for “anything for all costs” in the face of what you and he horrendously had to go through.
Sinto @ 4:
Law and Order strives for believability. So far, despite puffed-up claims about sleeper cells and various and sundry terror-types lurking in your backyard, there have been no cases upon which to base an episode … unless you want to see ones based on Jose Padilla or Maher Arar.